Data Models

Data Model:
A set of concepts to describe the structure of a DB (data types, relationships), operations for manipulation of the DB, and constraints on the DB.

Data Model Operations: Operations for specifying DB retrievals and updates.

Basic operations (insert, delete, modify, ) User-defined operations (e.g. calculate_credit_rating)

Types of Data Models

Conceptual (high-level, semantic) data models:
close to the way users perceive data. (Also called entity-based or object-based data models.)

Physical (low-level, internal) data models:

describe details of how data is stored in the computer; managed by a DBMS and an DBA.

Implementation (representational, logical) data models:

fall between the above two, balancing user views with some computer storage details (e.g. most relational data models).

Schemas
Database Schema:
The description of a database. Changes infrequently. Also called the intension. Includes descriptions of the DB structure, data types, and constraints.

Schema Diagram:
A diagram of (most aspects of) a database schema. Data types, relationships, constraints are not shown

Schema Construct:
A component (or object) of the schema, e.g., STUDENT, COURSE.

Schemas vs. Instances

Database State:
The actual data stored in a database at a particular moment in time. Also called database instance (or occurrence or snapshot). Also called the extension.

An Example Schema Diagram

Database Schema/Database State

Database State: the instantaneous content of a DB => changes frequently. Initial Database State: the state when the DB is loaded. Valid State: A state that satisfies the structure and constraints of the database.

Example of a DB State

Three-Schema Architecture
A quasi-standard created by ANSI in the 1970s to support three of the important DBMS characteristics:
program/data independence multiple views use of a catalog to store the DB description

Three-Schema Architecture - 2
Defines DBMS schemas at three levels:
Internal schema: describes physical storage structures and access pathshow the data is stored.
Typically uses a physical data model.

Conceptual schema: describes the structure and constraints of the entire DB for all userswhat is stored in the DB.
Uses a conceptual or an implementation data model.

External schemas: describe the user views.

Typically uses the same data model as the conceptual level.

Many DBMSs do not support/separate all three levels.

Three-Schema Architecture - 3
Mappings among schema levels are needed to transform requests and data.
Programs refer to an external schema, and are mapped by the DBMS to the internal schema for execution. Data extracted from the internal DBMS level is reformatted to match the users external view (e.g. formatting the results of an SQL query for display in a Web page)

Three-Schema Architecture 4.

Program/Data Independence
Logical Data Independence: The External Views (applications) are immune to the changes in the conceptual level and physical level schemas. Physical Data Independence: The External Views (applications) & Conceptual Level Schemas (conceptual and logical schema) are immune to the changes in physical level schemas.

Program/Data Independence 2.
When a schema at a lower level is changed, only the mappings between this schema and higher-level ones need to be changed. The higher-level schemas themselves are unchanged. Application programs are unaffected since they refer to the external schemas, hence program/data independence.

DBMS Languages - 1
Data Definition Language (DDL): Used by the DBA and database designers to specify the conceptual schema of a database. In many DBMSs, the DDL is also used to define internal and external schemas (views). Some DBMSs (that have a clear separation between conceptual and internal levels) have a separate storage definition language (SDL) and view definition language (VDL) to define internal and external schemas.

DBMS Languages - 2
Data Manipulation Language (DML):
Used to specify database retrievals and updates DML commands (data sublanguage) can be embedded in a general-purpose programming language (host language), such as COBOL, C, C++, or Java. Alternatively, stand-alone DML commands can be applied directly (called a query language).

DBMS Languages 3.
High Level or Non-procedural Language:
For example, the SQL relational language Are set-oriented and specify what data to retrieve rather than how to retrieve it. Also called declarative languages.

Low Level or Procedural Language:

Retrieve data one record-at-a-time; Constructs such as looping are needed to retrieve multiple records, along with positioning pointers.

DBMS Interfaces - 1
Stand-alone query language interfaces
Example: Entering SQL queries at the DBMS interactive SQL interface (e.g. SQL*Plus in ORACLE)

Programmer interfaces for embedding DML in programming languages User-friendly interfaces

Menu-based, forms-based, graphics-based, etc.

Which approach does PhP/MySQL use?

DBMS Interfaces - 2.
User-friendly interfaces:
Menu-based, popular for browsing on the web Forms-based, designed for nave users Graphics-based (PointnClick, DragnDrop etc.) Natural language: requests in written English, e.g. give me all products from vendor 10 that cost more than $200 Combinations of the above

Other DBMS Interfaces

Speech as Input and Output Web Browser as an interface Parametric interfaces, e.g., bank tellers using function keys. Interfaces for the DBA:
Creating user accounts, granting authorizations Setting system parameters Changing schemas or access paths

Database System Utilities

To perform certain functions such as:
Loading data stored in files into a database. Includes data conversion tools. Backing up the database periodically on tape. Reorganizing database file structures. Report generation utilities. Performance monitoring utilities. Other functions, such as sorting, user monitoring, data compression, etc.

Other Tools
Data dictionary / repository:
Used to store schema descriptions and other information such as design decisions, application program descriptions, user information, usage standards, etc.

Other Tools
Application Development Environments and CASE (computer-aided software engineering) tools: Examples:
PowerBuilder (Sybase) JBuilder (Borland) JDeveloper 10G (Oracle)

Typical DBMS Components

Centralized and Client-Server DBMS Architectures

Centralized DBMS:
Combines everything into single system including- DBMS software, hardware, application programs, and user interface processing software. User can still connect through a remote terminal however, all processing is done at centralized site.

A Physical Centralized Architecture

Basic 2-tier Client-Server Architectures

Specialized Servers with Specialized functions
Print server File server DBMS server Web server Email server

Clients can access the specialized servers as needed

Logical two-tier client server architecture

Clients
Provide appropriate interfaces through a client software module to access and utilize the various server resources. Clients may be diskless machines or PCs or Workstations with disks with only the client software installed. Connected to the servers via some form of a network.
(LAN: local area network, wireless network, etc.)

DBMS Server
Provides database query and transaction services to the clients Relational DBMS servers are often called SQL servers, query servers, or transaction servers Applications running on clients utilize an Application Program Interface (API) to access server databases via standard interface such as:
ODBC: Open Database Connectivity standard JDBC: for Java programming access

Client and server must install appropriate client and server module software for ODBC or JDBC

Two Tier Client-Server Architecture

A client program may connect to several DBMSs, sometimes called the data sources. Data sources can be files or other nonDBMS software that manages data. Other variations of clients are possible: e.g., in some object DBMSs, functionality is transferred to clients including data dictionary functions, optimization and recovery across multiple servers, etc.

Three Tier Client-Server Architecture

Common for Web applications Intermediate Layer called application server or web server:
Stores the web connectivity software and the business logic part of the application used to access the corresponding data from the database server Acts like a conduit for sending partially processed data between the database server and the client.

Three-tier architecture can enhance security:

Database server only accessible via middle tier Clients cannot directly access database server

Three-tier client-server architecture

Classification of DBMSs
Based on the data model used
Traditional: Relational, Network, Hierarchical. Emerging: Object-oriented, Object-relational.

Other classifications
Single-user (typically used with personal computers) vs. multi-user (most DBMSs). Centralized (uses a single computer with one database) vs. distributed (uses multiple computers, multiple databases)

Variations of Distributed DBMSs (DDBMSs)

Homogeneous DDBMS Heterogeneous DDBMS Federated or Multidatabase Systems Distributed Database Systems have now come to be known as client-server based database systems because:
They do not support a totally distributed environment, but rather a set of database servers supporting a set of clients.

Cost Considerations for DBMSs

Cost Range: from free open-source systems to configurations costing millions of dollars Examples of free relational DBMSs: MySQL, PostgreSQL, others Commercial DBMS offer additional specialized modules, e.g. time-series module, spatial data module, document module, XML module
These offer additional specialized functionality when purchased separately

Different licensing options: site license, maximum number of concurrent users (seat license), single user, etc.

Summary
Data Models and Their Categories Schemas, Instances, and States Three-Schema Architecture Data Independence DBMS Languages and Interfaces Database System Utilities and Tools Centralized and Client-Server Architectures Classification of DBMSs