Chapter 1

Database and Database Users

Instructor: Mr. Umer Shahid

Outline
 Database Introduction
 An Example
 Characteristics of the Database
 Actors on the Scene
 Advantages of using the DBMS
approach
Database Examples
 Database is involved like everywhere in our
world

 For example:
If we go to bank to deposit or withdraw
Make hotel and airline reservation
Purchase something on line
Buy groceries in supermarkets
Database Applications
 These examples are what we called traditional
database applications
(First part of book focuses on traditional applications)

 More Recent Applications:

 Youtube
 iTunes
 Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
 Data Warehouses
 Many other applications
Database can be any size and
complexity
For example:

 A list of names and address

 IRS (Internal Revenue System, US)
(assume it has 100 million taxpayers and each
taxpayer file 5 forms with 400 characters of
information per form=800Gbyte)
 Amazon.com
(15 million people visit per day; accessing 2 TB data
stored 200 servers; about 100 people are responsible
for database update)
Database System
 Database:
A collection of related data.
 Data:
Known facts that can be recorded and have an
implicit meaning.
 Database Management System (DBMS):
A software package/system to facilitate the
Define, Construct, Manipulate and Share functions
of a computerized database.
Typical DBMS Functionality
 Define a particular database in terms of its data types,
structures, and constraints

 Construct or Load the initial database contents on a secondary

storage medium

 Manipulate the database:

 Retrieval: Querying, generating reports
 Modification: Insertions, deletions and updates to its content
 Accessing the database through Web applications

 Share a database allows multiple users and programs to access

the database simultaneously
Typical DBMS Functionality
 Other important functions provided by the DBMS include
protecting the database and maintaining it over a long period of
time.
 Protection includes system protection against hardware or
software malfunction (or crashes) and security protection
against unauthorized or malicious access.
 A typical large database may have a life cycle of many years, so
the DBMS must be able to maintain the database system by
allowing the system to evolve as requirements change over
time.
Database System

 Database System:
DBMS + Database
Simplified database system
environment
Outline
 Database Introduction
 An Example
 Characteristics of the Database
 Actors on the Scene
 Advantages of using the DBMS
approach
An UNIVERSITY example
 A UNIVERSITY database for maintaining information
concerning students, courses, and grades in a
university environment

 We have:
STUDENT file stores data on each student
COURSE file stores data on each course
SECTION file stores data on each section of each
course
GRADE_REPORT file stores the grades that students
receive
PREREQUISITE file stores the prerequisites
Example of a simple database
Database manipulation
 Database manipulation involves querying
and updating

 Examples of querying are:

Retrieve a transcript
List the prerequisites of the “Database” course

 Examples of updating are:

Enter a grade of “A” for “Smith” in “Database”
course
Design of a new application
 design of a brand new database starts off with a
phase called requirements specification and
analysis.
 These requirements are documented in detail and
transformed into a conceptual design that can be
represented and manipulated using some
computerized tools so that it can be easily
maintained, and modified.
 The design is then translated to a logical design
that can be expressed in a data model implemented
in a commercial DBMS.
Outline
 Database Introduction
 An Example
 Characteristics of the Database
 Actors on the Scene
 Advantages of using the DBMS
approach
Database V.S. File
 In the database approach, a single repository of
data is maintained that is defined once then
accessed by various users

 The major differences between DB and File are:

1. Self-describing of a DB
2. Insulation between programs and data
3. Support of multiple views of the data
4. Sharing of data and multiuser transaction processing
Self-describing nature of a
database system
 Database system contains not only the
database itself but also a complete definition
of the database structure and constrains

 The information stored in the catalog is called

Meta-data (data about data), and it
describes the structure of the primary
database.
Example of a simplified Meta-data
Insulation between programs
and data
 In file processing, if any changes to the
structure of a file may require changing all
programs that access the file

 In database system, the structure of data

files is stored in the DBMS catalog separately
from the access program

 This is called program-data independence

Support of multiple views of
the data
 Each user may see a different view of
the database, which describes only the
data of interest to that user

 It may also contain some virtual data

that is derived from the database files
but its not explicitly stored
Sharing of data and multi-user
transaction processing
 Allowing a set of concurrent users to
retrieve from and to update the database.

 Concurrency control within the DBMS

guarantees that each transaction is
correctly executed or aborted
 For example, when several reservation clerks try
to assign a seat on an airplane flight
 (these types of applications are generally called
online transaction processing (OLTP))
Outline
 Database Introduction
 An Example
 Characteristics of the Database
 Actors on the Scene
 Advantages of using the DBMS
approach
Database Users
 Database administrators:
 Responsible for authorizing access to the database, for
coordinating and monitoring its use, acquiring software and
hardware resources, controlling its use and monitoring
efficiency of operations.
 Database Designers:
 Responsible to define the content, the structure, the
constraints, and functions or transactions against the
database. They must communicate with the end-users and
understand their needs.
 End Users
 System Analysts
End Users
 Casual: access database occasionally by
sophisticated query language when needed.
(Manager)
 Naïve: they make up a large section of the

end-user population. Learn only a few facilities

that they may use repeatedly
(bank clerk)
 Sophisticated: These include business

analysts, scientists, engineers, others

thoroughly familiar with the system capabilities.
 Stand-alone: maintain personal database by

using well designed GUI (Turbotax users)

Outline
 Database Introduction
 An Example
 Characteristics of the Database
 Actors on the Scene
 Advantages of using the DBMS
approach
Controlling Redundancy
 Controlling Redundancy is one of most
important feature to use DBMS

 The traditional file approach, each group

independently keeps their own file.
 For example: accounting office keeps data on
registration and billing info; whereas the
registration office keeps track of registration,
student courses and grades.
Controlling Redundancy
 This redundancy in storing the same data
multiple times leads to several problems:

1. Logic update – we need to update several

times
2. Storage space is wasted
3. The file that represent the same data may
become inconsistent
Other Advantages of using the
DBMS approach
 Restricting unauthorized access to data

 Providing Storage Structures (e.g.

indexes) for efficient Query Processing

 Providing backup and recovery services

Other Advantages of using the
DBMS approach
 Providing multiple interfaces to different
classes of users

 Representing complex relationships among

data

.
.
.
When NOT to use DBMS?
 The overhead cost of using DBMS:
 High initial investment in hardware,
software and training
 The cost of defining and processing data
 Overhead for security, concurrency control,
recovery, and integrity functions
When NOT to use DBMS?
 Hence, it may be more desirable to use
regular files under the following
situations:
 Simple, well-defined database applications
that are not expected to change
 Real-time requirements for some programs
that may not be met due to DBMS
overheads
 No multiple-user access to data
Piazza
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