A crucial aspect of every business is record keeping thus now days much of the world’s information society is committed in using and maintaining databases. Therefore, the need for proper designed databases arises. In earlier days, flow charts were used to plan for a database construction then came in data flow diagrams any finally the concept of entity relationship gradually developed. Thus this became a means representing data structures graphically which is still effective nowadays. Data modeling is an essential part of a proper database design.
According to Mamčenko “A data model is a conceptual representation of the data structures that are required by a database. The data structures include the data objects, the associations between data objects, and the rules which govern operations on the objects.”
In much simpler terms, it focuses on the type of data which is required, the way it has to be organized and the manipulation process which will be performed on the data to provide a complete and accurate structure for data within the information system. An example of a data model is like the architects building plan. Moreover, a data model is free of hardware and software constraints. It focuses more on how the users will see the information rather than how the database would see it. In addition to this, it is like a link between our concepts of real life and the representation of those concepts physically in a database.
Data modeling could tend to be one of the most time consuming part of the development process. A further instance could be, building a database without a model is like building Harbor Bridge without an architectural plan. The main motive of data modeling behind database construction is to ensure that data objects are completely and accurately represented. This is because data models use easily understood notations and ordinary language thus it could be used to communicate with the end users.
Looking at its importance and benefits from the designer’s point of view, it is detailed enough and could be used by developers as a plan for building a physical database. The information which is in the data model could be used to identify primary keys, foreign keys, relational tables, stored procedures and triggers. In the long run a poorly designed database will require additional time. Moreover if a database is created without sufficient and cautious planning, it could result in a database which omits data to create important reports leading the results to be inaccurate and inconsistent. This could also be incompatible to accommodate for changes in the requirement of user’s.
Moreover it’s other benefits of vocabulary work to an advantage as it acts as a bridge that unifies all artifacts which are a part of the implementation. Most importantly use of common vocabulary ensures that you can easily follow the guideline of features as well as other functions across all the phases of the construction. In addition to this, with this concept of data modeling the use of common vocabulary tends to form the bond between the problem and the solution.
~Copyright Vishaal Sagar 2012~
References:
IDEONEXUS (2010) Importance of data integrity. [Online]. [WWW] ideonexus.com
Available from: http://ideonexus.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/20090719Discussion.pdf [Accessed 27/10/12].
BLAHA. M (2005) Referential Integrity Is Important For Databases. [Online] [WWW] odbms.org Available from: http://www.odbms.org/download/007.02%20Blaha%20Referential%20Integrity%20Is%20Important%20For%20Databases%20November%202005.PDF [Accessed 27/10/12].
WIKIPEDIA (2012) Data integrity. [Online]. Available from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_integrity [Accessed 27/10/12].
WIKIPEDIA (05/03/2012). Entity Integrity.[Online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entity_integrity [Accessed 27/10/12].
ABRAHAM. S et al. (2010) Database System Concepts. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies.
RUIHAN WANG (n.d) Referential Integrity. [Online]. [WWW] teradata.uark.edu. Available From:
http://teradata.uark.edu/research/wang/integrity.html [Accessed 27/10/12].
ZAZA NETWORK (n.d) Databases – Data Modeling. [Online]. [WWW]. Zazanetwork.com.
Available From: http://www.zazanetwork.com/resources_services/articles/databases/database_development.aspx
[Accessed 27/10/12].
SCOTT W. AMBLER (n.d) Data Modeling 101. [Online]. [WWW]. agiledata.org. Available From: http://www.agiledata.org/essays/dataModeling101.html [Accessed 28/10/12].
MAMCENKO J (n.d) Introduction To Data Modeling And MS Access. [Online]. [WWW]. gama.vtu.lt. Available Form: http://gama.vtu.lt/biblioteka/Information_Resources/i_part_of_information_resources.pdf
[Accessed 28/10/12].
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY (n.d) Data Modeling. [Online]. [WWW] liberty.edu. Available From: http://www.liberty.edu/media/1414/%5B6330%5DERDDataModeling.pdf [Accessed 28/10/12].
According to Mamčenko “A data model is a conceptual representation of the data structures that are required by a database. The data structures include the data objects, the associations between data objects, and the rules which govern operations on the objects.”
In much simpler terms, it focuses on the type of data which is required, the way it has to be organized and the manipulation process which will be performed on the data to provide a complete and accurate structure for data within the information system. An example of a data model is like the architects building plan. Moreover, a data model is free of hardware and software constraints. It focuses more on how the users will see the information rather than how the database would see it. In addition to this, it is like a link between our concepts of real life and the representation of those concepts physically in a database.
Data modeling could tend to be one of the most time consuming part of the development process. A further instance could be, building a database without a model is like building Harbor Bridge without an architectural plan. The main motive of data modeling behind database construction is to ensure that data objects are completely and accurately represented. This is because data models use easily understood notations and ordinary language thus it could be used to communicate with the end users.
Looking at its importance and benefits from the designer’s point of view, it is detailed enough and could be used by developers as a plan for building a physical database. The information which is in the data model could be used to identify primary keys, foreign keys, relational tables, stored procedures and triggers. In the long run a poorly designed database will require additional time. Moreover if a database is created without sufficient and cautious planning, it could result in a database which omits data to create important reports leading the results to be inaccurate and inconsistent. This could also be incompatible to accommodate for changes in the requirement of user’s.
Moreover it’s other benefits of vocabulary work to an advantage as it acts as a bridge that unifies all artifacts which are a part of the implementation. Most importantly use of common vocabulary ensures that you can easily follow the guideline of features as well as other functions across all the phases of the construction. In addition to this, with this concept of data modeling the use of common vocabulary tends to form the bond between the problem and the solution.
~Copyright Vishaal Sagar 2012~
References:
IDEONEXUS (2010) Importance of data integrity. [Online]. [WWW] ideonexus.com
Available from: http://ideonexus.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/20090719Discussion.pdf [Accessed 27/10/12].
BLAHA. M (2005) Referential Integrity Is Important For Databases. [Online] [WWW] odbms.org Available from: http://www.odbms.org/download/007.02%20Blaha%20Referential%20Integrity%20Is%20Important%20For%20Databases%20November%202005.PDF [Accessed 27/10/12].
WIKIPEDIA (2012) Data integrity. [Online]. Available from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_integrity [Accessed 27/10/12].
WIKIPEDIA (05/03/2012). Entity Integrity.[Online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entity_integrity [Accessed 27/10/12].
ABRAHAM. S et al. (2010) Database System Concepts. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies.
RUIHAN WANG (n.d) Referential Integrity. [Online]. [WWW] teradata.uark.edu. Available From:
http://teradata.uark.edu/research/wang/integrity.html [Accessed 27/10/12].
ZAZA NETWORK (n.d) Databases – Data Modeling. [Online]. [WWW]. Zazanetwork.com.
Available From: http://www.zazanetwork.com/resources_services/articles/databases/database_development.aspx
[Accessed 27/10/12].
SCOTT W. AMBLER (n.d) Data Modeling 101. [Online]. [WWW]. agiledata.org. Available From: http://www.agiledata.org/essays/dataModeling101.html [Accessed 28/10/12].
MAMCENKO J (n.d) Introduction To Data Modeling And MS Access. [Online]. [WWW]. gama.vtu.lt. Available Form: http://gama.vtu.lt/biblioteka/Information_Resources/i_part_of_information_resources.pdf
[Accessed 28/10/12].
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY (n.d) Data Modeling. [Online]. [WWW] liberty.edu. Available From: http://www.liberty.edu/media/1414/%5B6330%5DERDDataModeling.pdf [Accessed 28/10/12].