Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION TO DATABASE
SYSTEM

1 Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Objectives
2

In this chapter, you will learn:

 The difference between data and information

 What a database is, the various types of

databases, and why they are valuable assets for

decision making
 The importance of database design

 The main component of database system

 The main functions of a database management

system (DBMS)
Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Why Databases?
3

 Databases solve many of the problems encountered

in data management
 Usedin almost all modern settings involving data
management:
◼ Business
◼ Research
◼ Administration

 Important to understand how databases work and

interact with other applications

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
Data vs. Information
 Data:
 Raw facts; building blocks of information
 Unprocessed information
 Eg?
 Information:
 Data processed to reveal meaning
 Knowledge:
 The body of information and facts about a specific subject.
 Accurate, relevant, and timely information is key to good
decision making
 Good decision making is key to survival in global
environment
 Eg?
 Transforming Raw Data into Information

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Transforming Raw Data into Information

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Transforming Raw Data into Information

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Transforming Raw Data into Information

10

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Introducing the Database
11

 Data Management: a discipline that focuses on the

proper generation, storage and retrieval of data.
 Database: shared, integrated computer structure that
stores a collection of:
 End-user data: raw facts of interest to end user

 Metadata: data about data

◼ Provides description of data characteristics and
relationships in data
◼ Expands value of data

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Role and Advantages of the DBMS
12

 Database management system (DBMS): collection of

programs
 Manages structure and controls access to data
 DBMS is the intermediary between the user and the
database
 Database structure stored as file collection and
 Can only access files through the DBMS

 DBMS enables data to be shared

 DBMS integrates many users’ views of the data
 Eg of DBMS?

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Role and Advantages of the DBMS
14
(cont’d.)
 Advantages of a DBMS:
 Improved data sharing
 Improved data security

 Better data integration

 Minimized data inconsistency

 Improved data access

 Improved decision making

 Increased end-user productivity

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Types of Databases
15

 Databases can be classified according to:

 Number of users
 Database location(s)
 Type of data stored
 The intended data usage
 The degree to which the data is structured.

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
Types of Databases-Number of users

 Single-user:
 Supports only one user at a time

 Desktop:
 Single-user database running on a personal
computer

 Multi-user:
 Supports multiple users at the same time
Types of Databases-Number of users
(continued)
 Workgroup:
 Multi-user database that supports a small group of
users or a single department; <=50 user

 Enterprise:
 Multi-user database that supports a large group of
users or an entire organization; >50 user
Types of database -Location of
Databases
 Centralized:
 Supports data located at a single site

 Distributed:
 Supports data distributed across several sites

 Cloud database:
 Database that is created and maintained using cloud data
services such as Microsoft Azure or Amazon AWS.

 Provided by third-party vendors.

 Types of database- type of data stored
19

 General-purpose
 Contain wide variety of data used in multiple discipline.
 Ex: LexisNexis, census and ProQuest

 Discipline-Specific
 Contain data focused on specific subject areas
 Mainly for academic or research purpose.

 Ex: CompuStat or CRSP(centre for research in security

prices), geographic information system.

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
Types of database- Uses of Databases

 Operational / Transactional (or production):

 Supports a company’s day-to-day operations
 Analytical
 Stores historical data and business business metrics used exclusively
for tactical or strategic decision making.
◼ Such decisions typically require “data massaging”
 Two main component: data warehouse and online analytical
processing front end.
i. Data warehouse:
 Stores data in a format optimized for decision support.
 Contain historical data
 Structure is quite different
ii. Online analytical processing
 Set of tool that work together to provide an advanced data analysis
environment for retrieving, processing and modelling data from data
warehouse
 Types of Databases - degree to which
21
the data is structured
 Unstructured data exist in their original (raw) state
 Structured data result from formatting
 Structure
applied based on type of processing to be
performed
 Semistructured data have been processed to some
extent
 Extensible Markup Language (XML) represents
data elements in textual format
 XML database supports semistructured XML data

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22 Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Why Database Design Is Important
23

 Database design focuses on design of database structure

that will be used to store and manage end-user data
 Designer must identify database’s expected use
 Different approach needed for different types of databases
 Well-designed database:
 Facilitates data management
 Generates accurate and valuable information
 Poorly designed database:
 Causes difficult-to-trace errors
 Generates errors → leads to bad decisions → can lead to failure
of organization

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Evolution of File System Data
24
Processing
 Reasons for studying file systems:
 Complexity of database design is easier to understand
 Understanding file system problems helps to avoid
problems with DBMS systems
 Knowledge of file system is useful for converting file
system to database system
 Manual File systems typically composed of
collection of file folders, each tagged and kept in
cabinet
 Organized by expected use
Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Evolution of File System Data
25
Processing (cont'd.)
 Contents of each file folder are logically related
 Manual systems
 Servedas a data repository for small data collections
 Cumbersome for large collections

 Computerized file systems

 Data processing (DP) specialist converted computer
file structure from manual system
◼ Wrote software that managed the data
◼ Designed the application programs

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Evolution of File System Data
26
Processing (cont'd.)
 Initially, computer file systems resembled manual
systems
 As number of files increased, file systems evolved
 Each file used its own application program to store,
retrieve, and modify data
 Each file was owned by individual or department that
commissioned its creation

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27 Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
28 Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
29 Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Problems with File System Data
30
Processing
 Even simple file system retrieval task required
extensive programming (3GL-procedure languages)
 Ad hoc queries impossible
 Changing existing structure difficult

 Security features difficult to program

 Often omitted in file system environments
 Lengthy development times.
 Difficulty of getting quick answer.

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Problems with File System Data
31
Processing (cont'd.)
 System administration is complex and difficult
 More difficult as the number of files in the system
expands.
 Lack of security and limited data sharing
 Requires extensive programming
 Difficult to make changes to existing structures

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Structural and Data Dependence
32

 Structural dependence: access to a file is

dependent on its own structure
 Allfile system programs must be modified to conform
to a new file structure
 Structural independence: change file structure
without affecting data access
 Data dependence: data access changes when data
storage characteristics change
 Data independence: data storage characteristics
do not affect data access
Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Data Redundancy
33

 File system structure makes it difficult to combine

data from multiple sources
 Vulnerable to security breaches
 Organizational structure promotes storage of same
data in different locations
 Islands of information
 Data redundancy: same data stored unnecessarily
in different places
 Data stored in different locations is unlikely to be
updated consistently
Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Data Redundancy (cont'd.)
34

 Data inconsistency: different and conflicting

versions of same data occur at different places
 Data anomalies: abnormalities when all changes in
redundant data are not made correctly
 Update anomalies
 Insertion anomalies

 Deletion anomalies

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Question
35

1. What Data redundancies do you detect?

2. How could those redundancies lead to anomalies?

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM
 Question
36

QUESTION 1
a) Explain why database design is important.
(2 marks)
)
b) What are the problems exist with the file system data management? Discuss TWO(2)
of them.
(4 marks)
QUESTION 2

a) State THREE (3) examples of Database Management System (DBMS) software.

(3 marks)
b) Give ONE (1) advantage and ONE (1) disadvantage of Database Management
System (DBMS).
(2 marks)
(1.5 marks)

Nik Ruslawati-UiTM