Lecture 1

Database System
Development Lifecycle
Information System
Resources that enable collection, management,
control, and dissemination of information
throughout an organization.

Database is fundamental component of IS, and

its development/usage should be viewed from
perspective of the wider requirements of the
organization.
Database System Development Lifecycle

Database planning

System definition

Requirements collection and analysis

Database design

DBMS selection (optional)

Database System Development Lifecycle
Application design
Prototyping (optional)
Implementation
Data conversion and loading
Testing
Operational maintenance
Stages of Database System Development Lifecycle
Database Planning
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.
Database Planning – Mission Statement
Mission statement for the database project
defines major aims of database application.

Those driving database project normally define

the mission statement.
Mission statement helps clarify purpose of the
database project and provides clearer path
towards the efficient and effective creation of
required database system.
Database Planning – Mission Objectives
Once mission statement is defined, mission
objectives are defined.

Each objective 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.
Database Planning
Database planning should also include
development of standards that govern:
– how data will be collected,
– how the format should be specified,
– what necessary documentation will be needed,
– how design and implementation should proceed.
System Definition

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).
System Definition
Database application may have one or more
user views.

Identifying user views helps ensure that no

major users of the database are forgotten when
developing requirements for new system.

User views also help in development of complex

database system allowing requirements to be
broken down into manageable pieces.
Representation of a Database System with
Multiple User Views
Requirements Collection and Analysis
Process of collecting and analyzing information
about the part of organization to be supported
by the database system, and using this
information to identify users’ requirements of
new system.
Requirements Collection and Analysis
Information is gathered for each major user view
including:
– a description of data used or generated;
– details of how data is to be used/generated;
– any additional requirements for new database
system.
Information is analyzed to identify requirements
to be included in new database system. Described
in the requirements specification.
Requirements Collection and Analysis

Another important activity is deciding how to

manage the requirements for a database
system with multiple user views.
Three main approaches:
– centralized approach;
– view integration approach;
– combination of both approaches.
Requirements Collection and Analysis
Centralized approach
– Requirements for each user view are merged
into a single set of requirements.
– A data model is created representing all user
views during the database design stage.
Centralized Approach to Managing
Multiple User Views
Requirements Collection and Analysis
View integration approach
– Requirements for each user view remain as
separate lists.
– Data models representing each user view are
created and then merged later during the
database design stage.
Requirements Collection and Analysis

Data model representing single user view (or a

subset of all user views) is called a local data
model.

Each model includes diagrams and

documentation describing requirements for one
or more but not all user views of database.
Requirements Collection and Analysis

Local data models are then merged at a later

stage during database design to produce a global
data model, which represents all user views for
the database.
View Integration Approach to Managing
Multiple User Views
Database Design
Process of creating a design for a database that
will support the enterprise’s mission statement
and mission objectives for the required
database system.
Database Design
Main approaches include:
– Top-down
– Bottom-up
– Inside-out
– Mixed
Database Design
Main purposes of data modeling include:
– to assist in understanding the meaning
(semantics) of the data;
– to facilitate communication about the
information requirements.

Building data model requires answering

questions about entities, relationships, and
attributes.
Database Design
A data model ensures we understand:
- each user’s perspective of the data;
- nature of the data itself, independent of its
physical representations;
- use of data across user views.
Database Design

Three phases of database design:

– Conceptual database design

– Logical database design
– Physical database design.
Conceptual Database Design

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.

Conceptual data model is source of

information for logical design phase.
Logical Database Design
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.

Conceptual data model is refined and mapped

on to a logical data model.
Physical Database Design

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 secuirty measures.

Tailored to a specific DBMS system.

Three-Level ANSI-SPARC Architecture
and Phases of Database Design
DBMS Selection
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.
Main steps to selecting a DBMS:
– define Terms of Reference of study;
– shortlist two or three products;
– evaluate products;
– recommend selection and produce report.
DBMS Evaluation Features
DBMS Evaluation Features
Example - Evaluation of DBMS Product
Application Design
Design of user interface and application
programs that use and process the database.

Database design and application design are

parallel activities.

Includes two important activities:

– transaction design;
– user interface design.
Application Design - Transactions
An action, or series of actions, carried out by a
single user or application program, which
accesses or changes content of the database.

Should define and document the high-level

characteristics of the transactions required.
Application Design - Transactions
Important characteristics of transactions:
– data to be used by the transaction;
– functional characteristics of the transaction;
– output of the transaction;
– importance to the users;
– expected rate of usage.
Three main types of transactions: retrieval,
update, and mixed.
Prototyping
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.
Implementation
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.
Data Conversion and Loading
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.
Testing
Process of running the database system with intent
of finding errors.

Use carefully planned test strategies and realistic

data.
Testing 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.
Testing
Should also test usability of system.
Evaluation conducted against a usability
specification.

Examples of criteria include:

– Learnability;
– Performance;
– Robustness;
– Recoverability;
– Adaptability.
Operational Maintenance
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.
CASE Tools

Support provided by CASE tools include:

- data dictionary to store information about
database system’s data;
- design tools to support data analysis;
- tools to permit development of corporate
data model, and conceptual and logical data
models;
- tools to enable prototyping of applications.
CASE Tools
Provide following benefits:
– Standards;
– Integration;
– Support for standard methods;
– Consistency;
– Automation .
CASE Tools and Database System
Development Lifecycle
Data Administration and Database
Administration
The Data Administrator (DA) and Database
Administrator (DBA) are responsible for
managing and controlling the corporate data
and corporate database, respectively.

DA is more concerned with early stages of

database system development lifecycle and
DBA is more concerned with later stages.
Data Administration

Management of data resource including:

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

Management of data resource including:

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

Management of physical realization of a

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