Relational Databases

RATIONALE

Database systems, particularly those based on the Relational Database Model, play a significant role in the world of Information Technology and an understanding of databases is, therefore, of fundamental importance to software engineers for the development of information systems, in general, and program persistence solutions, in particular. The Relational Database Model, devised by Dr. Edgar Codd and introduced by him in his seminal paper, “A Relational Model for Large Shared Data Banks” in 1970, is the most ubiquitous database model in existence. The principle aim of this module is to provide essential knowledge and appreciation of the role of relational database systems, including basic principles and practice of design, implementation and development for both system designers and software engineers. The module will seek to promote the notion of a database as a model of an enterprise through the development of database solutions to ‘real-world’ problems. The importance of database sub-languages, an inherent requirement of the Relational Model, will be stressed, with particular emphasis given to Structured Query Language (SQL). Databases will also be used or demonstrated for a variety of tasks including querying and reporting.

AIMS

The aims of the module are:

• To consider the nature of data, how data is used to provide useful information and to promote the notion of a database as a model of an enterprise.
• To provide essential knowledge and appreciation of the role of relational database systems.
• To provide essential knowledge and practice of the principles of data analysis and database design.
• To provide essential knowledge and practice of the documentation of the process of data analysis.
• To provide essential knowledge and practice of database implementation, data manipulation and data querying, using SQL.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

On successful completion of this module, a student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of appropriate data analysis techniques for a given context;
2. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of database design techniques for a given context;
3. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of database implementation techniques for a given context.
4. Investigate and analyse the requirements of an enterprise, in order to gain a clear understanding of its data requirements and to document those requirements clearly and appropriately using standard notations.
5. Apply appropriate data analysis and database design techniques;
6. Verify that a design meets with the information requirements of an enterprise;
7. Use tools to convert logical database designs into physical, relational database implementations;
8. Use tools to maintain data within and retrieve required information from implemented relational databases.