Database Design Paper Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

Database Design Paper Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers Database Design Paper ?A database is a structured collection of records or data that is stored in a computer system. In order for a database to be truly functional, it must not only store large amounts of records well, but be accessed easily. In addition, new information and changes should also be fairly easy to input.? (tech-faq.com); to ensure usefulness over the long-term, databases should be built with high data integrity and the ability to recover data if the hardware fails. Information that has been corrupted or destroyed serves no purpose within a business structure. Being the Armed Forces is like being a field value in one giant database. Everything from the gear we are issued to how we are identified as an ?individual? (ssn#) is a scannable number to be coded, referenced, and utilized by anyone with proper clearance. ?The database architecture is the set of specifications, rule, and processes that dictate how data is stored in a database and how data is accessed by components of the system.? (wingenious.com) Database architecture type s can be broken down into three broad categories, each of which can have several subcategories: One Tier, Two Tier- client/server, and ?N? Tier- client/server. The One Tier architecture is best suited to the single user and relatively small amounts of data. It runs on the user?s local machine and references a file that is stored on that machine?s hard drive, thus using a single physical resource to access and process information. For multiple users and small scale applications Two Tier client/server architecture would be better suited than One Tier architecture. Users interact through a GUI (graphical user interface) to communicate with the database server across a network via SQL (structured query language. For the large scale applications, ?N? Tier client/server architecture must be adopted. The client/server model expands to include a middle (or business) tier, which is an application server that houses the business logic. The middle tier translates client calls into database queries as well as translating data from the database into client data in return. The client and server never actually talk to one another directly. (windowsecurity.com) The database architecture I use at work, I would qualify as ?N? Tier client/server architecture. When entering or leaving base, all military personal must have their IDs scanned. This information is checked against a central database by going through a middle tier to prevent direct contact with the military mainframe, both for security and volume reasons. In a relational database, the data in different tables is mapped with relations. ?Information can be accessed or added without reorganizing the tables. A table can have many records and each record can have many fields? (tech-faq.com). Unlike flat databases, data integrity is built into the model at various levels to ensure the accuracy of the data, that the records are not duplicated, and that the relationship between a pair of tables is valid. (dewey.library.nd.edu) Microsoft Access does a great job of reinforcing referential integrity with a strong normalization protocols that ensure table definitions and informational relationships. References Chapter 16. What are Relational Databases, and Why Should I Care? . (n.d.). Index of /. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from http://dewey.library.nd.edu/mylibrary/manual/ch/ch16.html What is a Database?. (n.d.). The Tech-FAQ. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from tech-faq.com/what-is-a-database.html Wingenious. (n.d.). Wingenious. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from http://wingenious.com with., s. w. (n.d.). An Overview of Common Database Architectures. Network Security Articles for Windows Server 2003, 2008 & Vista. Retrieved April 1, 2012, from windowsecurity.com/whitepapers/An-Overview-of-Common-Database-Architectures.html