The Database Development Process Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 8 stages of the database development lifecycle?

A
  1. Database Planning
  2. Systems Definition
  3. Requirements Definition and Analysis
    a. Conceptual Design
    b. Logical Design
    c. Physical Design
  4. Application Design
  5. Implementation
  6. Data Conversion and Loading
  7. Testing
    Operational Maintenance
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2
Q

What is database planning?

A

Planning how to do the project
- How does the enterprise work
- Enterprise data model

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3
Q

What is systems definition

A

Specifying scope and boundaries
- Users
- Application areas

How does the system interfere with other organisational systems

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4
Q

What is requirements definition and analysis

A

Collection and analysis of requirements for the new system
1. Construction of a model of the data used in the database
a. independent of all physical considerations
b. Data models
i. ER diagrams

  1. Construction of a (relational) model of the data based on the conceptual design
    a. Independent of a specific database and other physical considerations
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5
Q

What is application design?

A

Done in conjunction with design

Design of the interface and application programs that use and process the database

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6
Q

What is implementation?

A

The physical realisation of the database

Implementation of the design

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7
Q

What is data conversion and loading?

A

-Transfer existing data into the database
- Conversion from old systems
- Non trivial task

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8
Q

What is testing

A

Running the database to find errors in the design/setup (both at a physical level and a logical level)

Issues
- Performance
- Robustness
- Recoverability
- Adaptability

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9
Q

What is operational maintenance?

A

The process of monitoring and maintaining the database system following its commissioning

  • Handling new requirements
  • Handling changes to requirements
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10
Q

What are some character types in MySQL?

A
  • CHAR(M): A fixed-length string, right-padded with spaces. The range of M is 0 to 255.
  • VARCHAR(M): A variable-length string. The range of M is 1 to 65535. (its 255 max. in MySQL 4).
  • BIT, BOOL, CHAR: CHAR(1).
  • BLOB, TEXT: up to 65535 bytes (for blob) or characters (for text).
  • ENUM (‘value1’,’value’,…) up to 65,535 members.
  • SET (‘value1’,’value2’, …) up to 64 members.
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11
Q

What are some integer types in MySQL?

A
  • TINYINT[(M)]: Signed (-128 to 127) Unsigned(0 to 255)
  • SMALLINT[(M)]: Signed (-32768 to 32767) Unsigned (0 to 65535)
  • MEDIUMINT[(M)]: Signed (-8388608 to 8388607) Unsigned (0 to 16777215)
  • INT[(M)] / INTEGER[(M)]: Signed (-2147483648 to 2147483647) Unsigned (0 to 4294967295)
  • BIGINT[(M)]: Signed(-9223372036854775808 to 9223372036854775807) Unsigned(0 to
    18,446,744,073,709,551,615)
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12
Q

What are some real type data in MySQL

A
  • FLOAT[(M,D)]: single-precision, allowable values: -
    • 3.402823466E+38 to -1.175494351E-38, 0, and 1.175494351E-38 to 3.402823466E+38.
    • M = display width, D = number of decimals.
  • DOUBLE[(M,D)] / REAL[(M,D)]: double-precision, allowable values: -
    • 1.7976931348623157E+308 to -2.2250738585072014E-308, 0, and
      2.2250738585072014E-308 to 1.7976931348623157E+308.
  • DECIMAL[(M[,D])]: fixed-point type. An unpacked floating-point number. Stored as string. Good for
    MONEY!
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13
Q

What are some time and date type data in MySQL?

A
  • DATE 1000-01-01 to 9999-12-31
  • TIME -838:59:59 to 838:59:59
  • DATETIME 1000-01-01 00:00:00 to 9999-12-31 23:59:59
  • TIMESTAMP 1970-01-01 00:00:00 - ~ 2037 Stored in UTC, converted to local
  • YEAR[4] 1901 to 2155 - A useful function in MySQL: NOW();
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14
Q

What is conceptual design?

A

Construction of a model of the data used in the database
- independent of all physical considerations
- Data models
- ER diagrams

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15
Q

What is logical design?

A

Construction of a (relational) model of the data based on the conceptual design
- Independent of a specific database and other physical considerations

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16
Q

What is physical design?

A

A description of the implementation of the logical design - for a specific DBMS
- Describes:
a. Basic relations (data types)
b. File organisation
c. Indexes

17
Q

What are the factors regarding choosing data types?

A
  • Types help the DBMS store and use information efficiently
    • Can make assumptions in computation
    • Consistency is guaranteed
  • Minimum storage space
  • Need to consider
    • Can you store all possible values
    • Can the type you choose support the data manipulation required
  • Selections of types may improve data integrity
18
Q

What type of data does a data dictionary consists of?

A

Key
- Type of key: Is it a primary or a foreign key (leave blank if neither)

Attribute
- Name of Attribute

Data type
- Data type of attribute

Not null
- if the field is required or is optional

Unique
- Must the value in the field be unique for that field

Description
- A description of the attribute giving any information that could be useful to the database designers or to the application developers.
- This would include things like attribute sizes, valid values for an attribute, information about coding for this attribute etc

19
Q

What is the definition of normalisation?

A

A formal method used to validate and improve upon the logical design thus far (which attributes should be grouped together) before proceeding with the physical design

20
Q

What is the definition of de-normalisation?

A

At physical design time need to decide how to implement the design- including removing some of the normalisation steps

Benefits: Improved database performance

Costs: Wasted storage space, Data integrity/consistency threats

21
Q

What is the difference between using SET and ENUM?

A

SET facilitates set operations well for example it doesn’t allow duplicates while ENUM allows duplicate values

22
Q

In which stage does a DB modeller think about specifying the right datatypes for a variable?

A

Stage 3: Requirements Definition and Analysis -> Physical Design