Chapter 1

Introduction to Database

(Fundamental concepts)

Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1

 OUTLINE

Basic concepts:
 Data

Information
Database, DBMS and Database system

Database system and File System

Main Characteristics of the Database Approach

Actors on the scene function of DBMS

Database models

Advantages of Using DBMS

Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1

 BASIC CONCEPTS
 Data: Known facts that can be recorded and have an implicit meaning.

 Example Form of Data?

 Raw facts, building blocks of information

 Unprocessed information

 Information : when data is processed and converted into a meaningful and Useful form, it is
known as Information.

 Information is nothing but refined data

 Well organized data

 Information is data that have been put in to a meaningful & Useful context.

Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1

 WHAT IS DATABASE?

 Database is an organized collection of facts and information, such as records on employees, inventory and
customers.

 A shared collection of logically related data(real world entities), designed to meet the information needs of
multiple users in an organization.

 A collection of information organized and presented to serve a specific purpose. (A telephone book is a common
database.)

 A computerized database is an updated, organized file of machine readable information that is rapidly searched and
retrieved by computer.

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 DBMS(database management system): Collection of programs that manages database structure and controls
access to data

 Possible to share data among multiple applications or users

 Makes data management more efficient and effective

 Database System: a database together with database management system

Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1

DATABASE SYSTEM ENVIRONMENT

Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1

 DATABASE SYSTEM VS. FILE SYSTEM
Redundancy:

 In file system ,every user has its own group and files system, so he has to store data
multiple times.
 When any query needs to be updated it becomes quite difficult to update everywhere

 While in database only one time creation required, server provide these information to required groups.

Inconsistency:

In files system when updating is required, at some places it is updated but at some places

user forgot to update leads to inconsistency

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 In database system only one time updation is required, it is automatically updated at all other places

Sharing of Data

 In file system sharing of data is quite complex process and user need to find particular file to locate it.

 In database system it’s very easy just type keywords in search query, files are easily shared throughout the
organization.

Security

 In file system there is no physical security as anyone get those files , also due to physical damages there
are a chances of being damaging.

Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1

 CONT’D…
In database system data is stored at servers and cloud, so there are a few chances of being
damaged and security is high.

figure 1.2 Contrasting database and file system

Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1
 MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DATABASE APPROACH

Self-describing nature of a database system:

 A DBMS catalog stores the description of a particular database (e.g. data structures, types, and
constraints)
 The description is called meta-data.

 This allows the DBMS software to work with different database applications.

Insulation between programs and data:

 Called program-data independence.

 Allows changing data structures and storage organization without having to change the DBMS
access programs.

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Data Abstraction:
 A data model is used to hide storage details and present the users with a conceptual view of the database.

 Programs refer to the data model constructs rather than data storage details

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.

Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1

 ACTORS ON THE SCENE

In a large database with approximately hundreds of users many persons are
involved in its design, use and maintenance.

Actors on the scene are people whose jobs involve the day-to-day use of such
large databases. The following are professionals who are categorized as actors on
the scene:

Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1

 CONT’D…

Database administrator
Administering the resources in a database environment

Authorizing access to the database, coordinating and monitoring its use.

Acquiring software and hardware resources as needed.

Setting security parameters for the database system and improving system
performance.
Involves in all steps of database development

Fundamentals
Institute of of Database,
engineering and Chapter
technology, parul 1university
 CONT’D…
Database Designers
 Identifies the data to be stored and choose the appropriate structures to represent and store the data.

 Should understand the user requirement and should choose how the user views the database.

 Involve on the design phase before the implementation of the database system.

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Systems Analyst and Application programmer

 System analyst determines the user requirement and how the user wants to view the database.

 The application programmer implements these specifications as programs; code, test, debug, document and
maintain the application program.

 Determines the interface on how to retrieve, insert, update and delete data in the database.

 The application could use any high level programming language according to the availability, the facility and
the required service.

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End users: End users are the people whose jobs require access to the database for
querying, updating, and generating reports; the database primarily exists for their
use. There are several categories of end users:
 Native Users
 Sizable/large proportion of users

 Unaware of the DBMS

 Only access the database based on their access level and demand
 Use standard and pre-specified types of queries.

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Casual end users:
 users who access the database occasionally.

 Need different information from the database each time.

 Use sophisticated database queries to satisfy their needs.

 Are most of the time middle to high level managers.

 Sophisticated Users:
 Are users familiar with the structure of the Database and facilities of the DBMS.

 Are most of the time engineers, scientists, business analysts, etc

 Have higher level queries

Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1

 DATABASE MODELS

 Database Model is a set of concepts to describe the structure of a database, and certain constraints
that the database should obey.

 It is a description of the way that data is stored in a database. Data model helps to understand the
relationship between entities and to create the most effective structure to hold data.

 Types of database models are:

1. The Hierarchical Data Model

2. The Network Data Model

3. The Relational Data Model

Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1

 HIERARCHICAL DATABASE MODEL

This is the oldest form of database.

This data model organizes the data in the tree structure i.e each child node can have
only one parent node and at the top of the structure, there is a single parenthesis node.

 In this model a database record is a tree that consists of one or more groupings of
fields called segments, which makeup the individual nodes of the tree.

This model use one-to-many relationship.

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Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1

 NETWORK MODEL
Replaces the hierarchical tree with graph thus allowing more general connections
among the nodes.

Supports multiple paths in the data structure eliminates some of the drawbacks of the
hierarchical model

allows one-to-one, one-to-many and many-to-many relationships

Created to:

Represent complex data relationships more effectively

Improve database performance

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Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1

 RELATIONAL DATABASE MODEL

The relational database model allows the definition of data structures, storage and
retrieval operations and integrity constraints.

In such a database the data and relations between them are organized in tables.

 A table is a collection of records and each record in a table contains the same fields
organized in columns.

The records in the table form the rows of the table.

Provides flexibility that allows changes to the database structure to be easily

accommodated. It facilitates multiple views of the same database for different users.

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Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1

 ADVANTAGES OF USING DBMS

Controlling Redundancy in data storage, development and maintenance efforts.

 Restricting Unauthorized Access (security and authorization)

 Providing persistent storage for program objects and data structure

Providing Multiple User Interfaces

Representing Complex Relationships Among data

Enforcing Integrity Constraints(accidental deletion or insertion)

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Providing Backup and Recovery

Centralized control – Data quality and integrity maintained

Data easily shared, but still controlled by DBMS

Database searches and analysis faster through DBMS through “user-friendly”

interfaces

Efficient Data Access

Fundamentals of Database, Chapter 1