Database Management Tools

Homework 1

Textbook:

Coronel, Morris, Database Systems: Design, Implementation, and Management, 11th Edition, Course
Technology. ISBN-13: 978-1285196145, ISBN-10: 1285196147

Chapter 1:

Page 31: 1,2,4,8,9,14

1. Define each of the following terms:

a. data: Data consists of raw and unorganized facts which have not yet been processed to
reveal their meaning.

Example: Text,Number,Images..

b. field : Represents a specific attribute or piece of information.

c. record: A logically connected set of one or more fields that describes a person, place, event,
or thing. (Entire Row in a table)

Example: A Customer record may be composed of the fields number, name, address.

d. file: Collection of related records that contain information of interest to the end user.

Data

Field

Record

2. What is data redundancy, and which characteristics of the file system can lead to it?

Data Redundancy: Data redundancy refers to the unnecessary duplication of data in different locations.
Many separate and unrelated files can lead to Data Redundancy. Some other limitations/problems of
file system include:
 • Lack of centralized data management/ program-data independence and security issues.
• Data inconsistency when conflicting versions exist.
• Increased data-entry errors and potential inaccuracies.
• Data integrity problems, including incorrect or nonexistent data.

4. What is a DBMS, and what are its functions?

A DBMS (Database Management System) is a collection of programs that manages the structure of a
database and controls access to data. Its functions include:

• Data dictionary management

• Data storage management
• Data transformation and presentation
• Security management
• Multi-user access control
• Backup and recovery management
• Data integrity management
• It also provides database access through query languages and interfaces for communication
within a network environment.

8. List and describe the different types of databases.

Classification based on number of Users:

1. Single - User Database: A database that supports only one user at a time.
Example: Desktop Database- A single-user database that runs on a personal computer.
2. Multi - User Database: A database that supports multiple concurrent users.
There are two sub types:
i. Workgroup Database: Supports fewer than 50 users or is used for a specific department
in an organization.
ii. Enterprise Database: Used by the entire organization and supports many users (usually
hundreds) across many departments.

Classification based on Location:

 1. Centralized Database: A database that supports data located at a single site typically requiring
an organization to own and maintain infrastructure (hardware, operating systems, network
technologies, etc.).
2. Distributed Database: A logically related database that is stored in two or more physically
independent sites, also requiring infrastructure management.
3. Cloud Database: A database created and maintained using cloud data services where
infrastructure details are managed by third-party vendors. Data owners do not need to be
concerned about hardware and software specifics, and performance capabilities can be adjusted
as needed with the cloud provider.
Example: Microsoft Azure or Amazon AWS

Classification by Type of Data:

1. General-Purpose Database: Contains a wide variety of data used in multiple disciplines.

Example: Often used for various research and policy analysis.
2. Discipline-Specific Database: Contains data focused on specific subject areas.
Example: Often used for academic or research purposes.

Classification by Intended Data Usage and Time Sensitivity:

1. Operational Database (OLTP): Designed primarily to support day-to-day operations, records

critical transactions accurately and immediately.
2. Analytical Database: Focuses on storing historical data and business metrics for tactical or
strategic decision-making, typically involving complex data analysis.
Components: Data warehouse (stores historical data) and Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)
tools for advanced analysis.

Classification by Data Structure:

1. Structured Data: Data that has been formatted to facilitate storage, use, and the generation of
information.
2. Unstructured Data: Data that exists in its original (raw) state, making it difficult to process.
3. Semi structured Data: Data that has been partially processed and may be suitable for certain
types of processing.
4. XML Database: Supports the storage and management of semi structured XML data, using the
Extensible Markup Language (XML).

9. What are the main components of a database system?

The main components of a database system, as outlined in the provided context, are:

• Hardware: This includes all physical devices such as computers, storage devices, printers, and
network equipment that are necessary for the operation of the database system.
• Software: There are three types of software components:
➢ Operating System Software: Manages hardware components and allows other software
to run on computers.
➢ DBMS Software: Manages the database within the database system.
 ➢ Application Programs and Utilities: Used to access and manipulate data within the
DBMS and manage the computer environment for data access and manipulation.
• People: This component encompasses all users of the database system and can be categorized
into various roles, including system administrators, database administrators (DBAs), database
designers, system analysts and programmers, and end users.
• Procedures: Procedures are instructions and rules that govern the design and use of the
database system. They enforce standards, ensure organized data monitoring, and regulate how
business is conducted within the organization.
• Data: Data is the collection of facts stored in the database. It serves as the raw material from
which information is generated and must be carefully organized and managed by database
designers.

These components work together to define and regulate the collection, storage, management, and
utilization of data within a database environment. The combination of hardware, software, people,
procedures, and data forms the foundation of a functional and effective database system.

14. What are some basic database functions that a spreadsheet cannot perform?

Some basic database functions that a spreadsheet cannot perform include:

• Metadata Support: Spreadsheets lack support for self-documentation through metadata.

• Data Type Enforcement: Spreadsheets cannot enforce data types or domains to ensure data
consistency within a column.
• Relationships: Spreadsheets do not provide mechanisms for defining relationships among
tables. Constraint Enforcement: They cannot enforce constraints to ensure data consistency
across related tables.
• Complex Querying: Spreadsheets are limited in their ability to perform complex database
queries and operations.
• Multiuser Collaboration: Spreadsheets may not facilitate multiuser collaboration and concurrent
data access effectively.
• Scalability: Spreadsheets may struggle to handle large datasets and complex data structures
efficiently.

Page 32: Problems 1-4 (Figure P1.1)

Given the file structure shown in Figure P1.1, answer Problems 1–4.

1. How many records does the file contain? How many fields are there per record?
Records:7 and Fields per record :5
2. What problem would you encounter if you wanted to produce a listing by city? How

would you solve this problem by altering the file structure?

• The MANAGER_ADDRESS field combines street number, city, state, and zip code into a single
field, making it difficult to generate a listing by city.
• Alter the file structure to include a separate field for the city name.

3. If you wanted to produce a listing of the file contents by last name, area code, city,

state, or zip code, how would you alter the file structure?

To produce listings by last name, area code, city, state, or zip code, alter the file structure by adding
separate fields for each of these criteria i.e. PROJECT_MANAGER and MANAGER_ADDRESS.

4. What data redundancies do you detect? How could those redundancies lead to

anomalies?

• Data Redundancy: We observe the presence of Holly B. Parker as a manager in three separate
instances, signifying her management of three projects labeled as 21-5Z, 25-9T, and 29-2D,
respectively. Furthermore, we notice the repetition of identical information regarding the project
manager's name, phone number, and address.
• These redundancies can result in data anomalies such as inconsistent data, data integrity
issues, and increased complexity in data maintenance and updates. To improve, consider using
a normalized database structure to reduce redundancies and enhance data management.

Chapter 2:

Page 63: 1,6,12,13,22,23

1. Discuss the importance of data models

Importance of Data Models:

• Communication Tool: Data models serve as a crucial communication tool, aligning designers,
programmers, and users.
• Enhanced Understanding: Well-developed data models improve understanding of an
organization's data structure.
• Universal Understanding: They provide a common language for all stakeholders, ensuring
consistent data comprehension.
• Effective Data Management: Data models help organize and manage data efficiently.
• Accommodating Diversity: They accommodate diverse user perspectives and prevent conflicts.
• Cost Prevention: Data models prevent costly mistakes and inconsistencies in data usage, saving
resources.

6. Consider the scenario described by the statement “A customer can make many payments, but each
payment is made by only one customer.” Use this scenario as the basis for an entity relationship diagram
(ERD) representation.
12. Give an example of each of the three types of relationships.

• One-One: One department has one department chair.

• One-Many: One coach has many players.
• Many-Many: Many shoppers visit many stores.

13. What is a table, and what role does it play in the relational model .

Table in the relational model is a two-dimensional structure composed of rows and columns.

Its key roles are:

• Entity Integrity: Each row in a table represents a single occurrence of an entity within the entity
set.No two rows can have the exact same set of values.
• Attribute Integrity: Each column in the table represents an attribute with a distinct name, and all
values in a column adhere to the same data format.
• Data Storage: The intersection of a row and column represents a single data value, allowing for
the storage of data.
• Data Consistency: Values in a column must conform to a specific attribute domain, ensuring data
consistency.
• Order Independence: The order of rows and columns is immaterial to the Database
Management System (DBMS), providing flexibility in data retrieval.
• Uniqueness Identification: Each table must have an attribute or combination of attributes
known as a key that uniquely identifies each row, ensuring data uniqueness and facilitating data
retrieval.

In short, it’s key roles include enforcing data integrity, organizing data, enabling relationships between
data, facilitating data retrieval through queries, and supporting scalability and security.

22. What is logical independence?

Logical independence in database management means you can change how data is stored and accessed
internally without affecting how users interact with the database, ensuring flexibility and adaptability to
different software or hardware environments.

23. What is physical independence?

Physical independence in database management allows you to modify hardware and storage details
without affecting how users interact with the database or its logical structure, ensuring adaptability to
different technology environments.

Page 64: Using figure P2.6 as a guide, work problems 6-8

6. Identify each relationship type and write all of the business rules.

• Course and Class (One-Many): A course is taught in multiple classes.

• Class and Enroll (One-Many): Each class has multiple enrollments.
• Enroll and Student (Many-One): A student has multiple enrollments.

7. Create the basic Crow’s Foot ERD for Tiny College.

8. Create the UML class diagram that reflects the entities and relationships you identified in the
relational diagram.
Page 65: 13, 14

13. Describe the relationships (identify the business rules) depicted in the Crow’s Foot ERD shown in
Figure P2.13.

• A professor advises multiple students.

• Every student is advised by a professor.
• A professor teaches multiple classes.
• Every class is taught by one professor.

Relationship: Professor- Student (One-Many) and Professor-Class (One-Many)

14. Create a Crow’s Foot ERD to include the following business rules for the ProdCo company:

a. Each sales representative writes many invoices.

b. Each invoice is written by one sales representative.

c. Each sales representative is assigned to one department.

d. Each department has many sales representatives.

e. Each customer can generate many invoices.

f. Each invoice is generated by one customer.

Sales Representative Invoice Customer

generates
writes
has

Department