DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

[CSS 114]

Lecture 01: Introduction to Database Systems

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD)

(asmaguya@mzumbe.ac.tz)

Computing Science Studies Department

Faculty of Science and Technology

Mzumbe University

2019/2020
Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS
Contents

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Lecture objectives I

In this lecture:
Basic concepts and definitions

Tradition file processing systems

The database approach

Components of the database environment

Types of database applications

Evolution of database systems

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Basic concepts and definitions

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Basic concepts and definitions I

Data: Stored representations of objects and events that have

meaning and importance to the user.

Information: Data that have been processed in such a way as

to increase the knowledge of the person who uses the data.

Entity: Something in the user environment about which the

user wishes to maintain data.

Attribute/field: A characteristic of an entity.

Relationship: An association between entities.

Data vs information
One person’s data can be another person’s information, and vice
versa.

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Basic concepts and definitions II

Primary key: an attribute or set of attributes that uniquely

identifies each record in a relation/table

File: A collection of records or documents dealing with one

organization, person, area or subject, e.g., paper (manual)
files, computer files.

Database I: A collection of similar records with relationships

between the records (Rowley), e.g., business, bibliographic.

Database II: A Database is a collection of stored operational

data used by the application systems of some particular
enterprise (C.J. Date)

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Basic concepts and definitions III

Sample customer table

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Basic concepts and definitions IV

Database Management System:

AKA DBMS

Software system used to define, create, maintain and provide

controlled access to the database and its metadata

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Basic concepts and definitions V

Data Dictionary:
AKA repository (old usage)

The place where all metadata for a particular database is stored

May also include information on relationships between files or

tables in a particular database

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Basic concepts and definitions VI

Metadata
Data about data. In DBMS means all of the characteristics
describing the attributes of an entity, e.g., name, data type,
and size

Characteristics of files or relations: name, content, notes, etc.

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Basic concepts and definitions VII

Metadata example:

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Basic concepts and definitions VIII

Database operations:

Create: add new data to the database

Read: retrieve data from the database

Update: modify existing data in the database

Delete: remove data from the database

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Traditional file processing systems

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Traditional file processing systems I

In the early days of computing. . .

There were no DBMSs

Business data stored, manipulated and retrieved from (large)

flat files

File processing systems (programs) developed to handle the

files

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Traditional file processing systems II

Disadvantages of file processing systems

Program-data dependence

Duplication of data

Limited data sharing

Lengthy development times

Excessive program maintenance

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Traditional file processing systems III

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

The database approach

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

The database approach I

In the database approach. . .

There are DBMSs that handle the data

Emphasizes sharing of data throughout the organization

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

The database approach II

Advantages of the database approach

Improved data sharing

Controlled redundancy

Improved consistency and integrity

Balancing conflicting requirements

Improved data independence

Reduced Program Maintenance

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

The database approach III

Disadvantages of the database approach

New, specialized personnel

Installation and management cost and complexity

Conversion/migration costs

Need for explicit backup and recovery

Increased security risks

Organization conflicts

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

The database approach IV

Data Independence
Physical representation and location of data and the use of that
data are separated

The application doesnt need to know how or where the

database has stored the data, but just how to ask for it

Moving a database from one DBMS to another should not

have a material effect on application program

Recording, adding fields, etc. in the database should not

affect applications

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Components of the database environment I

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Components of the database environment II

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Components of the database environment III

CASE tools: Automated tools used to design databases and

application programs

Repository: Centralized knowledge base for all data

definitions, data relationships, and other system components

DBMS: Software system used to create, maintain, and

provide controlled access to user databases

Database: An organized collection of logically related data,

usually designed to meet the organizational needs of multiple
users in an organization

Application programs: Computer programs used to create

and maintain the database and provide information to users

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Components of the database environment IV

User interface: Languages, menus, and other facilities users

use to interact with system components

Data/database administrators: People responsible for the

overall management of data resources in an organization

System developers: People such as systems analysts and

programmers who design new application programs

End users: People throughout the organization who add,

delete, and modify data in the database and who request or
receive information from it

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Types of database system I

Can be classified according to:

Number of users

Database site location

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Types of database system II

On the basis of the number of users:

Single-user DBMS

Multi-user DBMS

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Types of database system III

On the basis of the site location:

Centralized DBMS

Parallel DBMS

Distributed DBMS

Client/server DBMS

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Types of database system IV

Single-user DBMS
The database resides on one computer and can be accessed by one
user at a time
The user maintains the database: designs, writes, and maintains
application programs
Ideal for personal databases or very small organizations (e.g., SMEs)
Example: MS Access, FoxPro
(What about multi-user DBMS?)

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Types of database system V

Centralized DBMS
DBMS installed on a single machine confined in one location
Data can be accessed from multiple sites over a computer network
Database is maintained at a single site
Disadvantages
Single point of failure: if the centralized DB fails everyone is affected
Communication costs
What about advantages?

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Types of database system VI

Centralized database

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Types of database system VII

Parallel DBMS
Multiple DBMS instances share the same physical database
Employs a variety of hardware architectures to allow multiple
computers/clients to share access to data: parallel CPUs
Improve processing and Input/Output (I/O) speeds
Disadvantages:
Complications: e.g., the need for synchronization, setup, etc.
Too much time spent in synchronization can diminish the benefits
of parallel processing
Cost: hardware and software costs
What about advantages?

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Types of database system VIII

Parallel database

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Types of database system IX
Distributed DBMS
Database physically distributed over a computer network (can span
large geographical areas)
Employs a distributed DBMS
Appears to a user as a single database
Each database server in the distributed database is controlled by its
local DBMS, and each cooperates to maintain the consistency of
the global database
Disadvantages:
Recovery from failure is more complex
Cost: hardware, software, and maintenance costs
Advantages:
Greater efficiency and better performance; Provides local autonomy

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Types of database system X

Distributed database

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Types of database system XI
Client/server DBMS
Consists of two logical components namely client, and server
Clients are generally personal computers or workstations whereas
server is a more powerful computer
The applications and tools of DBMS run on one or more client
platforms, while the DBMS software reside on the server
The server computer is called backend and the client computers are
called front ends
The most common DB setup
Disadvantages:
Presents a single point of failure
Advantages:
Better price:performance ratio–strikes a good balance

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Types of database system XII
Client/server database

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Types of database applications I

PC databases: Usually for individual

WorkGroup databases: Small group use where everyone has

access to the database over a LAN

Departmental databases: Larger than a workgroup but

similar

Enterprises databases: For the entire organization over an

intranet (or sometimes the Internet)

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Evolution of database systems I

Driven by four main objectives:

Need for program-data independence =⇒ reduced
maintenance

Desire to manage more complex data types and structures

Ease of data access for less technical personnel

Need for more powerful decision support platforms

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Evolution of database systems II

Evolution of database systems:

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Database models I

“Database Model” could refer to:

Levels or views of the Database: Conceptual, logical, physical

DBMS types: Relational, Hierarchic, Network,

Object-Oriented, Object-Relational

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Database models II

Hierarchical Model (1960s and 1970’s):

Similar to data structures in programming languages.

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Database models III

Network Model (1970’s):

Provides for single entries of data and navigational “links” through
chains of data.

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Database models IV

Relational Model (1980’s):

Provides a conceptually simple model for data as relations
(typically considered tables)

The most common database model in use today

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Database models V

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Database models VI

Object Oriented Data Model (1990’s):

Encapsulates data and operations as “Objects”

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Database models VII

Object-Relational Model (1990’s):

Combines the well-known properties of the Relational Model
with such OO features as:
User-defined datatypes
User-defined functions
Inheritance and sub-classing

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS

Summary I

You should take note of:

Key terms and definitions

The file approach and its pros/cons

The database approach and its pros/cons

Types of database systems

Evolution of database systems

Database models

Almasi S. Maguya (PhD) DATABASES AND DATABASE SYSTEMS