Database Processing Fundamentals, Design, and Implementation, 16th e By David M. Kroenke
Email: Richard@qwconsultancy.com
Chapter 1 – Introduction
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CHAPTER OBJECTIVES •
To understand the importance of databases in Internet Web applications and smartphone apps
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To understand the nature and characteristics of databases
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To survey some important and interesting database applications
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To gain a general understanding of tables and relationships
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To describe the components of a Microsoft Access database system and explain the functions they perform
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To describe the components of an enterprise-class database system and explain the functions they perform
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To define the term database management system (DBMS) and describe the functions of a DBMS
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To define the term database and describe what is contained within the database
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To define the term metadata and provide examples of metadata
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To define and understand database design from existing data
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To define and understand database design as new systems development
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To define and understand database redesign of an existing database
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To understand the history and development of database processing
ERRATA There are no known errors at this time. Any errors that are discovered in the future will be reported and corrected in the Online DBP e16 Errata document, which will be available at http://www.pearsonhighered.com/kroenke .
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TEACHING SUGGESTIONS •
A basic knowledge of Microsoft Access is necessary for this chapter—particularly for the Project Questions at the end of the chapter. If your students need an introduction to Microsoft Access, either teach or have them work through Appendix A – Getting Started with Microsoft Access 2019.
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Introduce the course by explaining the basic characteristics of a database and that database processing is the heart of all applications today, even for smartphones and tablets.
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Use the Microsoft Access database shown in Figures 1-4 and 1-5 to discuss the basic characteristics of a database. A copy of this database is available as the database DBP-e16-IM-CH01-Student-Class-Grade.accdb, which is available in the
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Chapter 1 – Introduction
Instructor’s Resource Center on the text’s Web site if you want to use it in class. •
Use the examples in the Database Examples section (Figure 1-7) to discuss the types of database uses from single-user applications to complex e-commerce applications. The demand for knowledgeable people (both users and technicians) still exists. The knowledge gained in this course will be valuable at job-hunting time. Internet technology has tremendously amplified the need for database knowledge – that technology can be used inside organizations as well as outside for e-commerce applications. New Web 2.0 applications, including social media, have created a strong demand for database developers.
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Make sure students understand the difference between the components of a Microsoft Access DBMS and the components of an enterprise-class DBMS such as SQL Server 2019, Oracle Database XE, or MySQL 8.0. Use Figures 1-8, 1-9, 1-17, and 1-19 which are also in the PowerPoint presentation for this chapter.
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Make sure students understand the difference between a database and the DBMS software that manages it.
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The book is structured around the three types of database design. Be sure your students understand these three types of design problems, and relate them to future chapters. You can use Figure 1-23 (also in the PowerPoint presentation) to illustrate this part of your lecture.
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This is a good place to start separating the concepts of design and the concepts of implementation. The history of most students is that they spend about 10% of their time in design and 90% in implementation and testing (debugging). Now is the time to convince them that about 75% of their time should be spent in database design and 25% in implementation. History tells us that systems do not fail because of faulty implementation, they fail because of poor design.
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Cover the section on What You Need to Learn to give your students a good perspective on the roles they may have in working with databases. Use Figure 1-29 (also in the PowerPoint presentation) to tie these roles to the content of the book, emphasizing those chapters you will be teaching if you are not covering the entire book.
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Cover the section on A Brief History of Database Processing to help students understand the historical context of today’s DBMSs.
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Chapter 1 – Introduction
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ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS Describe the historic development of Internet and smartphone technology from the early days of personal computers (PCs) to today’s Internet Web application and smartphone app-based information systems environment. In the late 70s and early 80s early personal computers became available that included the Apple II and the IBM PC. Xerox invented the Ethernet Local Area Network technology, allowing homes and businesses to share network resources inexpensively. The Internet grew out of work done at the government DARPA lab to create the first “network of networks.” The Web and Web browsers became available in the early 90s that caused a dramatic increase in network use. Commercial sites proliferated, and users were able to easily create content using Web 2.0 features of Web sites. Cell phones became commercially available in the late 70s, and developed into a digital platform capable of transmitting data and connecting to the Web. These smartphones, which became widespread after the early 2000s, can now run applications that are downloaded from the net.
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Why do today’s Internet Web applications and smartphone apps need databases? Many Web sites and smartphone apps connect to a database, usually residing on a server (although SQLite runs on smartphones). Popular e-commerce sites such as Amazon.com, and social media sites including Facebook and Twitter all use databases to store messages, pictures, videos, and other data. Some databases use non-SQL database technologies to store unstructured data and to improve query performance.
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Read the description of the search process on the Pearson Web site. Using your own computer, find another retailer Web site (other than any of those discussed or mentioned in this chapter), and search for something of interest to you. Write up a description (with screen shots if possible) of your search. Students can capture a screenshot by using the Print Screen (PrtScr) button, or by using the Snipping Tool (Start | Search) or another utility such as Screen Hunter. Using the L.L. Bean web site as an example, customers can enter items in the main Search box at the top center of the main screen, or use the category tabs. For example, Footwear. Then the Footwear screen appears, and customers can select types of footwear (Men’s, then Boots), then filter by types of boots, and use different sort orders to obtain a listing by Recommended, Price, Rating, etc.
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What is the purpose of a database? The purpose of a database is to help people keep track of things.
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What are the two categories of databases? What is the most commonly used type of database? The two categories of DBMS are personal and enterprise-class. The relational database is the most commonly used type of database.
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Give an example of two related tables other than one in this book. Use the STUDENT and GRADE tables in Figure 1-5 as an example pattern for your tables. Name the tables and columns using the conventions in this book. Your student’s answers will vary as each creates his or her own example. One example is a database to record membership information for a club or association. The two tables will be MEMBER, which records information about the person who is a member of the
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Chapter 1 – Introduction
club or association, and PAYMENT, which records annual dues paid by the members over the years. The two tables to be created are: MEMBER (MemberNumber, MemberFirstName, MemberLastName, EmailAddress) and PAYMENT (PaymentNumber, MemberNumber, PaymentDate, PaymentAmount) A screen shot of the database as created in Access is shown below and on the next page. Answers to review questions 1.6 – 1.9 are contained in the database DBP-e16-IM-CH01RQ.accdb, which is available on the text’s Web site (www.pearsonhighered.com/kroenke).
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