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Chapter 10

Distributed Database
Management Systems

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Management, Fifth Edition, Rob and Coronel
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In this chapter, you will learn:

• What a distributed database management system
(DDBMS) is and what its components are
• How database implementation is affected by
different levels of data and process distribution
• How transactions are managed in a distributed
database environment
• How database design is affected by the
distributed database environment

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Evolution of DDBMS
• Decentralized database management systems (DDBMS)
– Interconnected computer systems
– Data/processing functions reside on multiple sites
• 1970’s: Centralized DBMS
• 1980’s: Social and Technical Changes
– Ad hoc capability required
– Decentralized management structure common
• 1990’s: New forces
– Internet and the World Wide Web used for data access and
distribution
– Data analysis through data mining and data warehousing

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DDBMS Advantages
• Data located near site with greatest demand
• Faster data access
• Faster data processing
• Growth facilitation
• Improved communications
• Reduced operating costs
• User-friendly interface
• Less danger of single-point failure
• Processor independence

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DDBMS Disadvantages
• Complexity of management and control
• Security
• Lack of standards
• Increased storage requirements
• Greater difficulty in managing data environment
• Increased training costs

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Distributed Processing
Shares database’s logical processing among
physically, networked independent sites

Figure 10.1

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Distributed Database
Stores logically related database over physically
independent sites

Figure 10.2

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Distributed Database
vs. Distributed Processing
• Distributed processing
– Does not require distributed database
– May be based on a single database on single
computer
– Copies or parts of database processing functions
must be distributed to all data storage sites
• Distributed database
– Requires distributed processing
• Both
– Require a network to connect components
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Functions of DDBMS
• Application/end user interface
• Validation to analyze data requests
• Transformation to determine request components
• Query optimization to find the best access strategy
• Mapping to determine the data location
• I/O interface to read or write data
• Formatting to prepare the data for presentation
• Security to provide data privacy
• Backup and recovery
• DB Administration
• Concurrency Control
• Transaction Management

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Centralized Database

Figure 10.3

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Fully Distributed Database
Management System

Figure 10.4 11
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DDBMS Components
• Computer workstations
• Network hardware and software components
• Communications media
• Transaction processor (TP)
– Also called application manager (AP) or
transaction manager (TM)
• Data processor (DP)
– Also called data manager (DM)

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Distributed Database Components

Figure 10.5
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DDBMS Protocols
• Interface with network to transport data and
commands between DPs and TPs
• Synchronize data received from DPs and route to
appropriate TPs
• Ensure common database functions
– Security
– Concurrency control
– Backup and recovery

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Levels of Data and Process

Distribution
Database systems can be classified based on
process distribution and data distribution

Table 10.1

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Single-Site Processing, Single-Site

Data (SPSD)

• All processing on single CPU or host computer

• All data are stored on host computer disk
• DBMS located on the host computer
• DBMS accessed by dumb terminals
• Typical of mainframe and minicomputer DBMSs
• Typical of 1st generation of single-user
microcomputer database

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Single-Site Processing, Single-Site

Data (con’t.)

Figure 10.6

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Multiple-Site Processing, Single-Site
Data (MPSD)
• Requires network file server
• Applications accessed through LAN
• Variation known as client/server architecture

Figure 10.7
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Multiple-Site Processing,
Multiple-Site Data (MPMD)
• Fully distributed DDBMS with support for multiple
DPs and TPs at multiple sites
– Homogeneous I
• Integrate one type of centralized DBMS over the
network
– Heterogeneous
• Integrate different types of centralized DBMSs over a
network

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Heterogeneous Distributed Database
Scenario

Figure 10.8

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Distributed DB Transparency
• Allows end users to feel like only database user
• Hides complexities of distributed database
• Transparency features
– Distribution
– Transaction
– Failure
– Performance
– Heterogeneity

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Distribution Transparency
• Allows management of a physically dispersed
database as though it were centralized
• Three Levels
– Fragmentation transparency
– Location transparency
– Local mapping transparency

Table 10.2

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Transaction Transparency
• Ensures transactions maintain integrity and
consistency
• Completed only if all involved database sites
complete their part of the transaction
• Management mechanisms
– Remote request
– Remote transaction
– Distributed transaction
– Distributed request

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Remote Request

Figure 10.10

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Remote Transaction

Figure 10.11

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Distributed Transaction
Figure 10.12

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Distributed Requests

Figure 10.13

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Distributed Requests (con’t.)

Figure 10.14

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Distributed Concurrency Control

• Multisite, multiple-process operations more likely
to create data inconsistencies and deadlocked
transactions
• Problems
– Transaction committed by local DP
– One DP could not commit transaction’s result
– Yields inconsistent database

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Two-Phase Commit Protocol

• DO-UNDO-REDO protocol
– Write-ahead protocol
– Two kinds of nodes
• Coordinator
• Subordinates
• Phases
– Preparation
• Coordinator sends message to all subordinates
• Confirms all are ready to commit or abort
– Final Commit
• Ensures all subordinates have committed or aborted

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Performance Transparency
and Query Optimization
• Objective: Minimize total cost associated with execution
of request
• Main costs
– Access time
– Communication
– CPU time
• Basis for query optimization algorithms
– Optimum execution order
– Sites accessed to minimize communication costs
• Dynamic or static optimization
• Statistically based vs. rule-based query optimization
algorithms

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Distributed Database Design

• Partition database into fragments
– Horizontal
– Vertical
– Mixed
• Fragments to replicate
– Storage of data copies at multiple sites
– Fully, partially, unreplicated databases
• Data allocation
– Where to locate data
– Centralized, partitioned, replicated

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Client/Server Advantages Over DDBMS

• Client/server less expensive
• Client/server solutions allow use of
microcomputer’s GUI
• More people with PC skills than mainframe skills
• PC is well established in workplace
• Numerous data analysis and query tools exist
• Considerable cost advantages to off-loading
application development

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Client/Server Disadvantages
• Creates more complex environment with different
platforms
• Increased number of users and sites creates
security problems
• Training issues become more complex and
expensive

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Date’s 12 Commandments for

Distributed Databases
1. Local Site Independence
2. Central Site Independence
3. Failure Independence
4. Location Transparency
5. Fragmentation Transparency
6. Replication Transparency

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Date’s 12 Commandments for

Distributed Databases
7. Distributed Query Processing
8. Distributed Transaction Processing
9. Hardware Independence
10. Operating System Independence
11. Network Independence
12. Database Independence

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