Week 3

Question 1

Database System Development Lifecycle

Answer 1

Database planning
System definition
Requirements collection and analysis
Database design
DBMS selection (optional)
Application design
Prototyping (optional)
Implementation
Data conversion and loading
Testing
Operational maintenance

Question 2

Management activities that allow stages of database system development lifecycle to be realized as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Must be integrated with overall IS strategy of the organization.

Answer 2

Database planning

Question 3

_______for the database project defines major aims of database application.

Those driving database project normally define the _
_______ .

Answer 3

database planning - mission statement

Question 4

_______ helps clarify purpose of the database project and provides clearer path towards the efficient and effective creation of required database system.

Answer 4

Mission statement

Question 5

Once mission statement is defined, _____ are defined.

Each ______ should identify a particular task that the database must support.

May be accompanied by some additional information that specifies the work to be done, the resources with which to do it, and the money to pay for it all.

Answer 5

mission objectives

Question 6

Database planning should also include development of standards that govern:

Answer 6

how data will be collected,
how the format should be specified,
what necessary documentation will be needed,
how design and implementation should proceed.

Question 7

Describes scope and boundaries of database system and the major user views.

User view defines what is required of a database system from perspective of:
a particular job role (such as Manager or Supervisor) or
enterprise application area (such as marketing, personnel, or stock control).

Answer 7

system definition

Question 8

Database application may have one or more _____

Identifying ______ helps ensure that no major users of the database are forgotten when developing requirements for new system.

____ also help in development of complex database system allowing requirements to be broken down into manageable pieces.

Answer 8

User views

Question 9

Process of creating a design for a database that will support the enterprise’s mission statement and mission objectives for the required database system.

Answer 9

database design

Question 10

Main approaches in database design nclude:

Answer 10

Top-down
Bottom-up
Inside-out
Mixed

Question 11

Main purposes of data modeling include:

Answer 11

to assist in understanding the meaning (semantics) of the data;
to facilitate communication about the information requirements.

Question 12

Building data model requires answering questions about __,____, and ____

Answer 12

entities, relationships, and attributes.

Question 13

A data model ensures we understand:

Answer 13

• each user’s perspective of the data;
• nature of the data itself, independent of its physical representations;
• use of data across user views.

Question 14

Criteria to Produce an Optimal Data Model

Answer 14

structural validity
simplicity
expressibility
nonredundancy
shareability
extensibility
integrity
diagrammatic representation

Question 15

Three phases of database design:

Answer 15

Conceptual database design
Logical database design
Physical database design.

Question 16

Process of constructing a model of the data used in an enterprise, independent of all physical considerations.

Data model is built using the information in users’ requirements specification.

Answer 16

conceptual database design

Question 17

_____ is source of information for logical design phase.

Answer 17

Conceptual data model

Question 18

Process of constructing a model of the data used in an enterprise based on a specific data model (e.g. relational), but independent of a particular DBMS and other physical considerations.

Answer 18

Logical database design

Question 19

Conceptual data model is refined and mapped on to a _____.

Answer 19

logical data model

Question 20

Process of producing a description of the database implementation on secondary storage.

Describes base relations, file organizations, and indexes used to achieve efficient access to data. Also describes any associated integrity constraints and security measures.

Tailored to a specific DBMS system.

Answer 20

Physical Database Design

Question 21

Selection of an appropriate DBMS to support the database system.
Undertaken at any time prior to logical design provided sufficient information is available regarding system requirements.

Answer 21

DBMS Selection

Question 22

Main steps to selecting a DBMS:

Answer 22

define Terms of Reference of study;
shortlist two or three products;
evaluate products;
recommend selection and produce report.

Question 23

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

Database design and application design are parallel activities.

Answer 23

Application design

Question 24

Includes two important activities in application design:

Answer 24

transaction design;
user interface design.

Question 25

Building working model of a database system.

Purpose
to identify features of a system that work well, or are inadequate;
to suggest improvements or even new features;
to clarify the users’ requirements;
to evaluate feasibility of a particular system design.

Answer 25

prototyping

Question 26

Physical realization of the database and application designs.

Use DDL to create database schemas and empty database files.
Use DDL to create any specified user views.
Use 3GL or 4GL to create the application programs. This will include the database transactions implemented using the DML, possibly embedded in a host programming language.

Answer 26

Implementation

Question 27

Transferring any existing data into new database and converting any existing applications to run on new database.

Only required when new database system is replacing an old system.

DBMS normally has utility that loads existing files into new database.

May be possible to convert and use application programs from old system for use by new system.

Answer 27

Data Conversion and Loading

Question 28

Process of running the database system with intent of finding errors.

Use carefully planned test strategies and realistic data.

_______ cannot show absence of faults; it can show only that software faults are present.

Demonstrates that database and application programs appear to be working according to requirements.

Should also test usability of system.

Evaluation conducted against a usability specification.

Answer 28

Testing

Question 29

Examples of criteria in testing include

Answer 29

Learnability;
Performance;
Robustness;
Recoverability;
Adaptability.

Question 30

Process of monitoring and maintaining database system following installation.

Monitoring performance of system.
if performance falls, may require tuning or reorganization of the database.

Maintaining and upgrading database application (when required).

Incorporating new requirements into database application.

Answer 30

operational maintenance

Question 31

_____ and _____ are responsible for managing and controlling the corporate data and corporate database, respectively.

Answer 31

The Data Administrator (DA) and Database Administrator (DBA)

Question 32

______ is more concerned with early stages of database system development lifecycle

Answer 32

DA

Question 33

and ____ is more concerned with later stages.

Answer 33

DBA

Question 34

Management of data resource including: (DA)

Answer 34

database planning,
development and maintenance of standards, policies and procedures, and conceptual and logical database design.

Question 35

Management of physical realization of a database system including: (DBA)

Answer 35

physical database design and implementation,
setting security and integrity controls,
monitoring system performance, and reorganizing the database.

Question 36

The formal process of using techniques such as interviews and questionnaires to collect facts about systems, requirements, and preferences.

Answer 36

Fact-finding techniques

Question 37

When Are Fact-Finding Techniques Used?

Answer 37

Fact-finding used throughout the database application lifecycle. Crucial to the early stages including database planning, system definition, and requirements collection and analysis stages.

Enables developer to learn about the terminology, problems, opportunities, constraints, requirements, and priorities of the organization and the users of the system.

Question 38

A database developer normally uses several fact-finding techniques during a single database project including:

Answer 38

examining documentation
interviewing
observing the organization in operation
research
questionnaires

Question 39

Examining documentation can be useful to:

Answer 39

to gain some insight as to how the need for a database arose.
to identify the part of the organization associated with the problem.
To understand the current system.