Chapter 2

DATABASE SYSTEM CONCEPT AND

ARCHITECTURE
• DBMS Architecture
– Tightly integrated systems architecture: the user
interface + DBMS + data are located in one place.
– Client-server system architecture:
Client Module Server Module
Request

User Interface DBMS + Data

Reply

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• Data Model: a collection of concepts that used to
describe the structure of database.
➔ Structure: data type, constraints, and relationships.
– We use the data model to achieve some levels of data
abstraction.
– The data model should include a set of basic operations for
retrievals and updates on the DB.
• CATEGORIES OF DATA MODEL:
– High level: provide concepts that are close to the way
users perceive data (SQL).
– Low Level: provide concepts that describe the details
of how data is stored in the computer.
– Representational (implementation) data model:
provide concepts that may be understood by end
users but that are not too far from the way data is
organized within the computer (Entities)
Ala Hamarsheh -- 2
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• Schemas:
– Any data model should distinguish between the
description of the database and the database itself.
➔ The description of DB is called DB schema.
– Schema diagram: displays the structure of each
record type, BUT not the actual instances of
records.

STUDENT
StID SNAME CLASS MAJOR

This Schema will be Schema

changed Infrequently Construct

Ala Hamarsheh -- 3
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 – Database State: the current set of instances or
occurrences.
➔ DB State will be changed frequently.
Notes:
➢ When we define new database we specify DB schema.
➢ Every time an update operation is applied to DB, we get
another DB state.
➢ DBMS responsible for ensuring that every state of the
database is a valid state → satisfies the structure and
constrains specified in the database schema.
➢ DBMS stores the description of the schema constructs
and constrains in the meta-data (catalog files).
➢ Schema is called intension whereas state is called
extension.
Ala Hamarsheh -- 4
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THREE SCHEMA ARCHITECTURE:
– Internal Level: to describe the data storage structure
and access paths-typically uses physical data model.
– Conceptual Schema: to describe the structure and
constraints for the whole database.-uses
implementational data model.
– External Level: to describe the various user views.
→ We need mapping among these levels.

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 Ala Hamarsheh -- 6
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DATA INDEPENDENCE:
Changing the schema of one level of the DB system
doesn't require to change the schema of the next higher
levels.
Two types of data independence:
– Logical Data-Independence: the capacity to change
the conceptual schema without having to change the
external schema and their application programs.
– Physical Data-Independence: the capacity to
change the internal schema without having to change
the conceptual schema.

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DBMS LANGUAGES:
– Data Definition language (DDL): used by DBA or
DB designers to specify the conceptual schema of a
DB.
• In many DBMSs the DDL is also used to define
internal and external schemas.
• In some DBMSs separate storage definition
language (SDL) and view definition language are
used to define internal and external schema.
– Data Manipulation Language (DML): used to
specify database retrievals and updates.

Ala Hamarsheh -- 8
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DML Commands can be:
1. Embedded in a general purpose programming
language (PL) like Java, Cobol, C++, .. Etc
2. Stand-alone, that applied directly (Query Language).
TWO TYPES OF DML:
– High-Level or Nonprocedural DML: DML
statements must be identified within the program so
that they can be extracted by the pre-compiler and
accessed by DMBS.
– Low-Level or Procedural DML: retrieves individual
records from DB and process each one separately.
➔ Use Looping

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 Ala Hamarsheh -- 10
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