The #1 Easy, Commonsense Guide to Database Design! Michael J. Hernandez's best-selling Database Design for Mere Mortals® has earned worldwide respect as the clearest, simplest way to learn relational database design. Now, he's made this hands-on, software-independent tutorial even easier, while ensuring that his design methodology is still relevant to the latest databases, applications, and best practices. Step by step, Database Design for Mere Mortals®, Third Edition, shows you how to design databases that are soundly structured, reliable, and flexible, even in modern web applications. Hernandez guides you through everything from database planning to defining tables, fields, keys, table relationships, business rules, and views. You'll learn practical ways to improve data integrity, how to avoid common mistakes, and when to break the rules.
Coverage includes
Understanding database types, models, and design terminology
Discovering what good database design can do for you-and why bad design can make your life miserable
Setting objectives for your database, and transforming those objectives into real designs
Analyzing a current database so you can identify ways to improve it
Establishing table structures and relationships, assigning primary keys, setting field specifications, and setting up views
Ensuring the appropriate level of data integrity for each application
Identifying and establishing business rules
Whatever relational database systems you use, Hernandez will help you design databases that are robust and trustworthy. Never designed a database before? Settling for inadequate generic designs? Running existing databases that need improvement? Start here.
Autorentext
Michael J. Hernandez, a relational database developer with more than twenty years of experience, was a program manager and product manager for Microsoft's Visual Studio group. He has been a premier instructor with organizations such as AppDev Training Co., Focal Point, Inc., and Deep Training, and was a top-rated speaker at technical conferences across the United States, Europe, and South America. With John L. Viescas, he coauthored SQL Queries for Mere Mortals®, Second Edition (Addison-Wesley, 2008).
Klappentext
The #1 Easy, Commonsense Guide to Database Design! Michael J. Hernandez's best-selling Database Design for Mere Mortals® has earned worldwide respect as the clearest, simplest way to learn relational database design. Now, he's made this hands-on, software-independent tutorial even easier, while ensuring that his design methodology is still relevant to the latest databases, applications, and best practices. Step by step, Database Design for Mere Mortals®, Third Edition, shows you how to design databases that are soundly structured, reliable, and flexible, even in modern web applications. Hernandez guides you through everything from database planning to defining tables, fields, keys, table relationships, business rules, and views. You'll learn practical ways to improve data integrity, how to avoid common mistakes, and when to break the rules.
Coverage includes
Understanding database types, models, and design terminology
Discovering what good database design can do for you-and why bad design can make your life miserable
Setting objectives for your database, and transforming those objectives into real designs
Analyzing a current database so you can identify ways to improve it
Establishing table structures and relationships, assigning primary keys, setting field specifications, and setting up views
Ensuring the appropriate level of data integrity for each application
Identifying and establishing business rules
Whatever relational database systems you use, Hernandez will help you design databases that are robust and trustworthy. Never designed a database before? Settling for inadequate generic designs? Running existing databases that need improvement? Start here.
Inhalt
Foreword xxi
Preface xxv
Acknowledgments xxvii
Introduction xxix
Part I: Relational Database Design 1
Chapter 1: The Relational Database 3
Topics Covered in This Chapter 3
Types of Databases 4
Early Database Models 5
The Hierarchical Database Model 5
The Network Database Model 9
The Relational Database Model 12
Retrieving Data 15
Advantages of a Relational Database 16
Relational Database Management Systems 18
Beyond the Relational Model 19
What the Future Holds 21
A Final Note 22
Summary 22
Review Questions 24
Chapter 2: Design Objectives 25
Topics Covered in This Chapter 25
Why Should You Be Concerned with Database Design? 25
The Importance of Theory 27
The Advantage of Learning a Good Design Methodology 29
Objectives of Good Design 30
Benefits of Good Design 31
Database Design Methods 32
Traditional Design Methods 32
The Design Method Presented in This Book 34
Normalization 35
Summary 38
Review Questions 39
Chapter 3: Terminology 41
Topics Covered in This Chapter 41
Why This Terminology Is Important 41
Value-Related Terms 43
Data 43
Information 43
Null 45
The Value of Nulls 46
The Problem with Nulls 47
Structure-Related Terms 49
Table 49
Field 52
Record 53
View 54
Keys 56
Index 58
Relationship-Related Terms 59
Relationships 59
Types of Relationships 60
Types of Participation 65
Degree of Participation 66
Integrity-Related Terms 67
Field Specification 67
Data Integrity 68
Summary 69
Review Questions 70
Part II: The Design Process 73
Chapter 4: Conceptual Overview 75
Topics Covered in This Chapter 75
The Importance of Completing the Design Process 76
Defining a Mission Statement and Mission Objectives 77
Analyzing the Current Database 78
Creating the Data Structures 80
Determining and Establishing Table Relationships 81
Determining and Defining Business Rules 81
Determining and Defining Views 83
Reviewing Data Integrity 83
Summary 84
Review Questions 86
Chapter 5: Starting the Process 89
Topics Covered in This Chapter 89
Conducting Interviews 89
Participant Guidelines 91
Interviewer Guidelines (These Are for You) 93
The Case Study: Mike's Bikes 98
Defining the Mission Statement 100
The Well-Written Mission Statement 100
Composing a Mission Statement 102
Defining the Mission Objectives 105
Well-Written Mission Objectives 106
Composing Mission Objectives 108
Summary 112
Review Questions 113
Chapter 6: Analyzing the Current Database 115
Topics Covered in This Chapter 115
Getting to Know the Current Database 115
Paper-Based Databases 118
Legacy Databases 119
Conducting the Analysis 121
Looking at How Data Is Collected 121
Looking at How Information Is Presented 125
Conducting Interviews 129
Basic Interview Techniques 130
Before You Begin the Interview Process . . . 137
Interviewing Users 137
Reviewing Data Type and Usage 138
Reviewing the Samples 140
Reviewing Information Requirements 144
Interviewing Management 152
Reviewing Current Information Requirements 153
Reviewing Additional In…