Database principles : design, implementation and management fundamentals
- Singapore Cengage Learning Asia 2011
- xi, 623 p. Includes index
As the title suggests, Database Principles: Design, Implementation, and Management Fundamentals covers three broad aspects of database systems. However, for several important reasons, special attention is given to database design. The availability of excellent database software enables even database-inexperienced people to create databases and database applications. Unfortunately, the create without design approach usually paves the road to any number of database disasters. In our experience, many, if not most, database system failures are traceable to poor design and cannot be solved with the help of even the best programmers and managers. Nor is better DBMS software likely to overcome problems created or magnified by poor design. Using an analogy, even the best bricklayers and carpenters can't create a good building from a bad blueprint. Most of the vexing database system management problems seem to be triggered by poorly designed databases. It hardly seems worthwhile to use scarce resources to develop excellent and extensive database system management skills in order to exercise them on crises induced by poorly designed databases, ?Design provides an excellent means of communication, Clients are more likely to get what they need when database system design is approached carefully and thoughtfully. In fact, clients may discover how their organizations really function once a good database design is completed. ?Familiarity with database design techniques promotes one's understanding of current database technol ogies. For example, because data warehouses derive much of their data from operational databases, data warehouse concepts, structures, and procedures make more sense when the operational database's structure and implementation are understood.