COM4404 Databases
INTRODUCTION TO DATABASES
CONTENT PART-BASED ON CHAPTER 1 OF FUNDAMENTALS OF DATABASE DESIGN BY ELMASRI & NAVATHE
,Learning Outcomes
At the end of this session, you should (hopefully!) be able to:
Understand the terms “database”, “database system” and “database
management system”, what they relate to and their characteristics
Understand the role databases play in both computing and modern society
alike
Have an awareness of the advantages of using databases
Know when and when not to use a database
Have an awareness of database system concepts and architecture
,Let’s start with a question to you:
What do you think the term “Database” means?
The answer can be vague!
So, let’s a have a proper definition:
“A database is a collection of related data”
Does that suffice or is that too simplistic?
If we think it’s not too simplistic, then are spreadsheets databases too?!
No!
, “A database is a collection of related data”
Does this really answer the question?
A collection of words on a page is “related data” – so is a page a
database? Is a book a database?!
Obviously, no!
So we need to define this a bit better by restricting our definition, we
do this by identifying the properties implicit in a database…
INTRODUCTION TO DATABASES
CONTENT PART-BASED ON CHAPTER 1 OF FUNDAMENTALS OF DATABASE DESIGN BY ELMASRI & NAVATHE
,Learning Outcomes
At the end of this session, you should (hopefully!) be able to:
Understand the terms “database”, “database system” and “database
management system”, what they relate to and their characteristics
Understand the role databases play in both computing and modern society
alike
Have an awareness of the advantages of using databases
Know when and when not to use a database
Have an awareness of database system concepts and architecture
,Let’s start with a question to you:
What do you think the term “Database” means?
The answer can be vague!
So, let’s a have a proper definition:
“A database is a collection of related data”
Does that suffice or is that too simplistic?
If we think it’s not too simplistic, then are spreadsheets databases too?!
No!
, “A database is a collection of related data”
Does this really answer the question?
A collection of words on a page is “related data” – so is a page a
database? Is a book a database?!
Obviously, no!
So we need to define this a bit better by restricting our definition, we
do this by identifying the properties implicit in a database…
