Chapter 7 : Storing Organizational Information - Database

Relational Database Fundamentals

  • Database – maintains information about various types of objects (inventory), events (transactions), people (employees), and places (warehouses)
  • Database models include:
    • Hierarchical database model – information is organized into a tree-like structure (using parent/child relationships) in such a way that it cannot have too many relationships
    • Network database model – a flexible way of representing objects and their relationships
    • Relational database model – stores information in the form of logically related two-dimensional tables
  • Entity a person, place, thing, transaction, or event about which information is stored
    • The rows in each table contain the entities
    • In Figure 7.1 CUSTOMER includes Dave’s Sub Shop and Pizza Palace entities
  • Attributes (fields & columns) - characteristics or properties of an entity class
    • The columns in each table contain the attributes
    • In Figure 7.1 attributes for CUSTOMER include Customer ID, Customer Name, Contact Name
  • Primary keys and foreign keys identify the various entity classes (tables) in the database
  • Foreign key – a primary key of one table that appears an attribute in another table and acts to provide a logical relationship among the two tables
  • Primary key – a field (or group of fields) that uniquely identifies a given entity in a table
  • Potential Relational Database for Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Egypt
Relational Database Advantages
  • Increased flexibility
  • Increased scalability and performance
  • Reduced information redundancy
  • Increased information integrity (quality)
  • Increased information security

Database Management Systems (DBMS)

  • Database management systems (DBMS) – software through which users and application programs interact with a database 

  • Data-driven Web sites – an interactive Web site kept constantly updated and relevant to the needs of its customers through the use of a database

  • Data Driven Web Site Advantages
    • Development
    • Content Management
    • Future Expandability
    • Minimizing Human Error
    • Cutting Production and Update Costs
    • More Efficient
    • Improved Stability

  • Data-Driven Business Intelligence

Integrating Information among Multiple Devices
  • Integration – allows separate systems to communicate directly with each other
    • Forward integration – takes information entered into a given system and sends it automatically to all downstream systems and processes
    • Backward integration – takes information entered into a given system and sends it automatically to all upstream systems and processes

  • Building a central repository specifically for integrated information