Chapter Nine
Managing a Database
Discovering Computers
Fundamentals
Your Interactive Guide
to the Digital World
Objectives Overview
Define the term,
database, and
explain how a
database interacts
with data and
information
Describe the
qualities of valuable
information
Describe file
maintenance
techniques (adding
records, modifying
records, deleting
records) and
validation techniques
See Page 351
for Detailed Objectives
Discuss the terms
character, field,
record, and file
Differentiate
between a file
processing approach
and the database
approach
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
Objectives Overview
Discuss the
functions common
to most database
management
systems
Describe
characteristics of
relational, objectoriented, and
multidimensional
databases
Explain how to
access Web
databases
Discuss the
responsibilities of
database analysts
and administrators
See Page 351
for Detailed Objectives
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
Databases, Data, and
Information
Database
Collection
of data
organized in
a manner
that allows
access,
retrieval,
and use of
that data
Page 352
Data
Collection
of
unprocesse
d items
Text
Numbers
Images
Audio
Video
Information
Processed
data
Organized
Meaningfu
l
Useful
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
Databases, Data, and
Information
Pages 352 353
Figure 9-1
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
Databases, Data, and
Information
Database software, often called a
database management system
(DBMS), allows users to:
Page 352
Create a
computerized
database
Add, modify, and
delete data
Sort and retrieve
data
Create forms and
reports from the
data
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
Databases, Data, and
Information
Data integrity identifies the quality of
the data
Garbage in, garbage out (GIGO)
points out the accuracy of a computers
output depends on the accuracy of the
input
Page 353
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
Databases, Data, and
Information
Valuable information should have the
following characteristics:
Accurate
Verifiable
Accessibl
e
Page 354
Useful
Timely
Organize
d
Costeffective
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
The Hierarchy of Data
Data is organized in layers
Files, records, fields, characters
Page 355
Figure 9-2
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
The Hierarchy of Data
A character is one
byte
Numbers, letters,
space, punctuation
marks, or other
symbols
A field is a
combination of one
or more related
characters
Field name
Pages 355
356
Field sizeDiscovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
Figure 9-3
10
The Hierarchy of Data
Common data types include:
Text
Numeric
AutoNumb
er
Currency
Date
Memo
Yes/No
Hyperlink
Object
Attachmen
t
Page 356
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
11
The Hierarchy of Data
A record is a group of related fields
A primary key uniquely identifies each
record
A data file is a collection of related
records
Page 356
Figure 9-4
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
12
Maintaining Data
File maintenance refers to the
procedures that keep data current
Adding
records
Modifyi
ng
records
Deletin
g
records
Pages 357 - 358
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
13
Maintaining Data
Users add new records to a file when
they obtain new data
Page 357
Figure 9-5
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
14
Maintaining Data
Users modify a record to correct
inaccurate data or update old data
Pages 357 - 358
Figure 9-6
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
15
Maintaining Data
When a record no longer is needed, a
user deletes it from a file
Pages 358 - 359
Figure 9-7
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
16
Maintaining Data
Validation compares data with a set of
rules or values to find out if the data is
correct
Alphabetic/Num
eric check
Range check
Consistency
check
Completeness
check
Check digit
Other checks
Pages 359 - 360
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
17
File Processing Versus
Databases
File processing
system
Each department has
its own set of files
Used for many years
Have data
redundancy
Isolate data
Pages 361 - 362
Database approach
Programs and users
share data
Reduce data
redundancy
Improve data integrity
Share data
Allows easier access
Reduces development
time
Can be more
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
18
vulnerable
9
File Processing Versus
Databases
Page 362
Figure 9-10
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
19
Database Management
Systems
Page 363
Figure 9-11
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
20
Database Management
Systems
A data dictionary contains data about
each file in the database and each field
in those files
Page 364
Figure 9-12
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
21
Database Management
Systems
A DBMS provides several tools that
allow users and programs to retrieve
and maintain
in the database
Querydata
language
Query by example
Form
Report generator
Pages 364 - 366
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
22
Database Management
Systems
A query language consists of simple,
English-like statements that allow users
to specify the data to display, print, or
store
Query by example (QBE) provides a
GUI to assist users with retrieving data
Pages 364 - 366
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
23
Database Management
Systems
Page 365
Figure 9-13
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
24
Database Management
Systems
A form is a window on the screen that
provides areas for entering or modifying
data in a database
Page 366
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
25
Database Management
Systems
A report generator allows users to
design a report on the screen, retrieve
data into the report design, and then
display or print the report
Page 366
Figure 9-15
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
26
Database Management
Systems
A DBMS provides means to
ensure that only authorized
users access data at
permitted times
Access privileges
Principle of least privilege
Page 367
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
27
Database Management
Systems
A DMBS provides a variety of techniques
to restore the database to a usable form
in case it is damaged or destroyed
Page 367
Backup
Log
Recover
y utility
Continu
ous
backup
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
28
Relational, Object-Oriented, and
Multidimensional Databases
A data model consists of
rules and standards that
define how the database
organizes data
A relational database
stores data in tables that
consist of rows and
columns
Each row has a primary key
Each column has a unique
name
A relationship is a link
within the data
Page 368
Figure 9-17
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
29
Relational, Object-Oriented, and
Multidimensional Databases
Structured Query Language (SQL) is
a query language that allows users to
manage, update, and retrieve data
Page 369
Figure 9-18
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
30
Relational, Object-Oriented, and
Multidimensional Databases
An object-oriented database (OODB)
stores data in objects
Object-oriented databases often use
Object Query Language (OQL) to
manipulate and retrieve data
Page 369
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
31
Relational, Object-Oriented, and
Multidimensional Databases
A multidimensional database can store
data in more than two dimensions of data
Can consolidate data much faster than a relational
database
A data warehouse is a huge database that
stores and manages the data required to
analyze historical and current transactions
Page 370
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
32
Web Databases
Databases on the Web allow you to:
Shop for
products or
services
Buy or sell
stocks
Search for a
job
Make airline
reservations
Register for
college
classes
Check
semester
grades
Page 370
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
33
Web Databases
Page 371
Figure 9-19
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
34
Database Administration
It is important to have a carefully
designed database
Page 371
Figure 9-20
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
35
Database Administration
Database analysts and administrators are
responsible for managing and coordinating
all databaseDatabase
activities
Administrator
Database Analyst (DA)
Decides on proper field
placement, defines data
relationship, and identifies
users access privileges
Page 371
(DBA)
Creates and maintains the
data dictionary, manages
security, monitors
performance, and checks
backup and recovery
procedures
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
36
Database Administration
Employees should learn how to use the
data in the database effectively
Page 372
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
37
Summary
How data and
information are
valuable
assets to an
organization
Advantages of
organizing
data in a
database
Page 372
Methods for
maintaining
high-quality
data
Assessing the
quality of
valuable
information
Various types
of databases
Roles of the
database
analysts and
administrators
Discovering Computers Fundamentals, Chapter
9
38
Chapter Nine
Managing a Database
Discovering Computers
Fundamentals
Your Interactive Guide
to the Digital World
Chapter 9 Complete