Lecture 1 Flashcards
What does DBLC stand for?
Database Life Cycle
What is the first stage of the DBLC?
Requirements analysis
What is the last stage of the DBLC?
Monitoring and modification
Is the DBLC a continuous process?
Yes
What does the DBLC encompass?
The entire lifetime of the database
What is involved in requirements analysis?
Assessing the informational needs of an organization
What is logical design in the DBLC?
Creating a conceptual model and normalizing tables for efficient data access
What is the purpose of physical design?
Optimizing database performance by speeding up data retrieval and writing
What does implementation involve in the DBLC?
Converting the ER diagram into SQL statements and executing them in the RDBMS
What is the role of the system administrator during implementation?
Installs and configures the RDBMS
What are the ongoing activities in the DBLC?
Monitoring, modification, and maintenance
Define an entity in database design.
Anything about which data is collected and stored
What is an attribute?
A characteristic of an entity
What are the three types of relationships?
- One-to-many (1:M) * Many-to-many (M:N) * One-to-one (1:1)
What does one-to-many (1:M) mean?
One entity is related to many instances of another entity
What does many-to-many (M:N) mean?
Many instances of one entity are related to many instances of another entity
What does one-to-one (1:1) mean?
One instance of an entity is related to only one instance of another entity
What is a constraint in database design?
A restriction placed on the data to ensure data integrity
What is conceptual design in the database design phases?
Shifting from ‘what’ questions to ‘how’ questions regarding data structure
What are the three parts of database design?
- Conceptual design * Logical design * Physical design
What is cardinality in database relationships?
The number of instances possible for a relationship
What is a weak entity?
An entity that cannot exist without another entity
What does logical database design achieve?
Transforms a conceptual schema into a schema for a specific DBMS
What is the goal of physical design?
Optimizing database performance and ensuring data integrity
What does physical design involve?
Translating entities into tables, defining keys, and resolving many-to-many relationships
What is denormalization?
A process that may improve performance but can lead to data redundancy
How are entities transformed in physical design?
Entities become tables, instances become rows, and attributes become columns
What is the importance of monitoring in physical design?
Ongoing adjustments and refinements are necessary
