"Squatting flies is the old ideology of database administration. Innovative concepts of 4th Generation Management and Statistical Control are key to predictability of database system failure and, hence, key to continuous improvement of database systems."
- Noel Udofa
- Noel Udofa
Database Technologies
The Database Domain
Database Systems are at the heart of every efficient business. Because all companies rely on various levels of data for daily functions, managing data effectively has become imperative to a company's success. Such is the purpose for the database domain - to store and manage various forms of data while adding competitive advantage through the efficiencies of modern technology.
Database Systems are at the heart of every efficient business. Because all companies rely on various levels of data for daily functions, managing data effectively has become imperative to a company's success. Such is the purpose for the database domain - to store and manage various forms of data while adding competitive advantage through the efficiencies of modern technology.
Relational Database Management Systems
The Relational Database Management System, RDBMS, takes the database domain one step further and sets a protocol for relating data groups to one another; hence, the term relational DBMS. This technology allows companies to take advantage of the benefits of using computers while maintaining the relationships of business data as viewed by humans.
The Relational Database Management System, RDBMS, takes the database domain one step further and sets a protocol for relating data groups to one another; hence, the term relational DBMS. This technology allows companies to take advantage of the benefits of using computers while maintaining the relationships of business data as viewed by humans.
Distributed Database Management System
The Distributed Database Management System, DDBMS, is another extension of the DBMS (or database domain). It allows for the physical or logical separation of data but allows for access to the data sets as if they were a single unit. This allows for companies with multiple facilities around the world to share data.
The Distributed Database Management System, DDBMS, is another extension of the DBMS (or database domain). It allows for the physical or logical separation of data but allows for access to the data sets as if they were a single unit. This allows for companies with multiple facilities around the world to share data.
Database Design
Database design is a logical process and involves gathering all of a company's data and specifying the relationships between the data. This includes establishing data classifications and listing several attributes that describe each data class.
Database design is not to be confused with data entry, nonetheless. In database design, a data class could be titled a 'Car', for example. Attributes that describe the Car class could be model, make, year, color, etc.
When data entry is performed, specific car information is recorded for each car
Database design is a logical process and involves gathering all of a company's data and specifying the relationships between the data. This includes establishing data classifications and listing several attributes that describe each data class.
Database design is not to be confused with data entry, nonetheless. In database design, a data class could be titled a 'Car', for example. Attributes that describe the Car class could be model, make, year, color, etc.
When data entry is performed, specific car information is recorded for each car
that the company owns. Each car would be given a unique record identifier and would list the specific model, make, year, color, etc.
Schema Design
Schema design is the physical representation of database design. While database design lists all of the data classes, attributes and their relationships, schema design denotes where the data classes are physically stored on a computer and the method used to retrieve the data. Schema design also specifies how much space a data class is permitted to occupy on a computer along with other technical specifications.
Schema design is the physical representation of database design. While database design lists all of the data classes, attributes and their relationships, schema design denotes where the data classes are physically stored on a computer and the method used to retrieve the data. Schema design also specifies how much space a data class is permitted to occupy on a computer along with other technical specifications.
Data Warehousing
Data Warehousing has been around for over a decade but seems to be gaining momentum in recent years. Because data warehousing prepares data for strategic marketing analysis, major companies are using it to gain competitive advantage.
Data warehouses collect thousands of bytes of data from various computer platforms and applications as well as from diverse management information and financial systems. This enables management executives to compare company data as a grouping by time period, customer demographic, sales regions, etc. In addition, the ability to
Data Warehousing has been around for over a decade but seems to be gaining momentum in recent years. Because data warehousing prepares data for strategic marketing analysis, major companies are using it to gain competitive advantage.
Data warehouses collect thousands of bytes of data from various computer platforms and applications as well as from diverse management information and financial systems. This enables management executives to compare company data as a grouping by time period, customer demographic, sales regions, etc. In addition, the ability to
pull in data from external systems allows for the comparison of company data with global facts, hence, allowing for strategic analysis from several business perspectives.
ETL
Extraction, Transformation and Loading is the process of pulling data from various database systems, transforming the data so that it is optimized for usage in a data warehouse, and loading the data into a data warehouse. Although this process sounds quite trivial, it actually can be an exhausting task. Considering this, ETL has become its own industry with some ETL processes commanding upwards of $50,000.
Several ETL vendors design methods and software to make the ETL process less painful. Companies also seek private methods of automating the ETL process by using PL/SQL, Dynamic SQL and other languages.
Extraction, Transformation and Loading is the process of pulling data from various database systems, transforming the data so that it is optimized for usage in a data warehouse, and loading the data into a data warehouse. Although this process sounds quite trivial, it actually can be an exhausting task. Considering this, ETL has become its own industry with some ETL processes commanding upwards of $50,000.
Several ETL vendors design methods and software to make the ETL process less painful. Companies also seek private methods of automating the ETL process by using PL/SQL, Dynamic SQL and other languages.
Database Administration
Database administration involves knowing your database system from the ground up. This includes completely understanding both the logical and physical design of the database, thoroughly understanding the platform on which the database resides, understanding the users of the database in terms of security and access required, understanding the type of business functions each user will perform and understanding the network by which data is transmitted. In summary, to be a database administrator, you pretty much must know everything - nothing pertaining to the database system is off limits.
Database administration involves knowing your database system from the ground up. This includes completely understanding both the logical and physical design of the database, thoroughly understanding the platform on which the database resides, understanding the users of the database in terms of security and access required, understanding the type of business functions each user will perform and understanding the network by which data is transmitted. In summary, to be a database administrator, you pretty much must know everything - nothing pertaining to the database system is off limits.
The complete database system includes business concepts of the respective company, staffing arrangements, current economic conditions, opportunity cost, etc. The database administrator must profoundly rationalize each element of the system in order to completely optimize the database system and to prepare it for continuous improvement.
"Squatting flies" is the old ideology of the DBA (database administrator) where he is placed on call to fix ticket orders and to fine-tune databases. Innovative concepts such as getting a database system into statistical control in order to identify common and special causes, documenting a database system's
"Squatting flies" is the old ideology of the DBA (database administrator) where he is placed on call to fix ticket orders and to fine-tune databases. Innovative concepts such as getting a database system into statistical control in order to identify common and special causes, documenting a database system's
processes and strategically improving the process is the way of the new, successful DBA. Just as Deming taught innovative management techniques for managing companies and facilities, these best practices are also essential in database administration; without which, the average DBA will continue to tackle unpredictable ticket orders and have no means of effectively improving the quality of his job.
SQL
Structured Query Language is the standard language used by computers to understand what, where and how data is to be stored and manipulated. Logical and Physical database design are implemented using SQL allowing for computer systems to mange data according to user specifications.
Structured Query Language is the standard language used by computers to understand what, where and how data is to be stored and manipulated. Logical and Physical database design are implemented using SQL allowing for computer systems to mange data according to user specifications.
PL/SQL
Procedural Language SQL is an extension of SQL that takes advantage of the powerful features that are common to C, Java and other 3rd generation programming languages. It actually stems from the 3rd generation language, Ada, although significant efforts are being made to make PL/SQL work more effectively with Java. In any case, PL/SQL uses procedures, functions, variables and loops to make SQL a more efficient asset.
Procedural Language SQL is an extension of SQL that takes advantage of the powerful features that are common to C, Java and other 3rd generation programming languages. It actually stems from the 3rd generation language, Ada, although significant efforts are being made to make PL/SQL work more effectively with Java. In any case, PL/SQL uses procedures, functions, variables and loops to make SQL a more efficient asset.
Dynamic SQL
Dynamic SQL is an extension of SQL that allows a database system to consider input that is developed during run-time. Hence, data that is only determined by computation or a derivative of system execution can be gathered at run-time and injected into the appropriate position in a SQL or PL/SQL script.
Dynamic SQL is an extension of SQL that allows a database system to consider input that is developed during run-time. Hence, data that is only determined by computation or a derivative of system execution can be gathered at run-time and injected into the appropriate position in a SQL or PL/SQL script.
Oracle 9i
Oracle is a database vendor that delivers high-powered database systems. After learning languages such as SQL, etc., Oracle databases are ideal for database design and implementation on both a small and large scale. Although Oracle is well into its release of 10g, Oracle 9i is sufficient in developing database systems at an industry standard.
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Oracle is a database vendor that delivers high-powered database systems. After learning languages such as SQL, etc., Oracle databases are ideal for database design and implementation on both a small and large scale. Although Oracle is well into its release of 10g, Oracle 9i is sufficient in developing database systems at an industry standard.
Data Modelers
Data Modelers make some aspects of database design easier by providing graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and by writing SQL code based on GUI input. Although using data modelers helps developers to avoid programming, if you've ever created a webpage using Frontpage or DreamWeaver you know that helper applications often give you what you want plus a whole lot of what you don't need. Nonetheless, good data modelers, such as Erwin, have advanced features that make using the software worthwhile.
Try the Erwin Data Modeler for 30 days
Data Modelers make some aspects of database design easier by providing graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and by writing SQL code based on GUI input. Although using data modelers helps developers to avoid programming, if you've ever created a webpage using Frontpage or DreamWeaver you know that helper applications often give you what you want plus a whole lot of what you don't need. Nonetheless, good data modelers, such as Erwin, have advanced features that make using the software worthwhile.
BrioQuery
BrioQuery is a handy tool that presents large amounts of data (from database systems) in user-friendly formats, such as charts and graphs. It allows for network connectivity to established databases and then represents these databases using various advanced utilities.
BrioQuery is a handy tool that presents large amounts of data (from database systems) in user-friendly formats, such as charts and graphs. It allows for network connectivity to established databases and then represents these databases using various advanced utilities.