Chapter 7: Storing Organizational Information- Databases

Hi, okay this is my entry for mgt300 which is chapter 7 about Storing Organizational Information- databases. This chapter quiet fun & interesting. Let me share you this.

• Information is stored in databases

  Database – maintains information about various types of objects (inventory), events (transactions), people    (employees), and places (warehouses)

• Database models include:

1. Hierarchical database model – information is organized into a tree-like structure (using parent/child relationships) in such a way that it cannot have too many relationships
2. Network database model – a flexible way of representing objects and their relationships
3. Relational database model – stores information in the form of logically related two-dimensional tables

Entities and Attributes 

•    Entity – a person, place, thing, transaction, or event about which information is stored

          The rows in each table contain the entities

          In Figure 7.1 CUSTOMER includes Dave’s Sub Shop and Pizza Palace entities

• Attributes (fields, columns) – characteristics or properties of an entity class

         The columns in each table contain the attributes

         In Figure 7.1 attributes for CUSTOMER include Customer ID, Customer Name, Contact Name

RELATIONAL DATABASE ADVANTAGES

Database advantages from a business perspective include:

• Increased flexibility
• Increased scalability and performance
• Reduced information redundancy
• Increased information integrity (quality)
• Increased information security

1. Increased flexibility

A well-designed database should:

• Handle changes quickly and easily
• Provide users with different views
• Have only one physical view

              -   Physical view – deals with the physical storage of information on a storage device

• Have multiple logical views

              - Logical view – focuses on how users logically access information

2. Increased scalability and performance

A database must scale to meet increased demand, while maintaining acceptable performance levels

• Scalability – refers to how well a system can adapt to increased demands
• Performance – measures how quickly a system performs a certain process or transaction

3. Reduced Information Redundancy

Redundancy – the duplication of information or storing the same information in multiple places.

4. Increase Information Integrity (Quality)

• Information integrity – measures the quality of information
•  Integrity constraint – rules that help ensure the quality of information

                 - Relational integrity constraint

                 - Business-critical integrity constraint

5. Increased Information Security

• Information is an organizational asset and must be protected
• Databases offer several security features including:

                - Password – provides authentication of the user

                - Access level – determines who has access to the different types of information

                - Access control – determines types of user access, such as read-only access

DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

- Database management systems (DBMS) – software through which users and application programs interact with a database.

Data-Driven Websites

- Data-driven websites – an interactive website kept constantly updated and relevant to the needs of its customers through the use of a database

Data-Driven Website Business Advantages

Integrating Information among Multiple Databases

•        Integration – allows separate systems to communicate directly with each other

–       Forward integration – takes information entered into a given system and sends it automatically to all downstream systems and processes

–       Backward integration – takes information entered into a given system and sends it automatically to all upstream systems and processes

Forward integration and backward integration

•           Building a central repository specifically for integrated information