Database Fundamentals

Robert J. Robbins Johns Hopkins University rrobbins@gdb.org

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1994, 1995 Robert Robbins

Database Fundamentals: 1

What is a Database?
General: A database is any collection of related data. Restrictive: A database is a persistent, logically coherent collection of inherently meaningful data, relevant to some aspects of the real world.

The portion of the real world relevant to the database is sometimes referred to as the universe of discourse or as the database miniworld. Whatever it is called, it must be well understood by the designers of the database.

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What is a Database Management System?

A database management system (DBMS) is a collection of programs that enables users to create and maintain a database. According to the ANSI/SPARC DBMS Report (1977), a DBMS should be envisioned as a multi-layered system:

External Level (individual user views)

External View 1

External View n

Conceptual Level (Enterprise-wide view\)

Conceptual Schema

Internal Level (storage view)

Internal Schema

Storage Level (physical storage)

Physical Database
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What Does a DBMS Do?

Database management systems provide several functions in addition to simple file management: allow concurrency control security maintain data integrity provide for backup and recovery control redundancy allow data independence provide non-procedural query language perform automatic query optimization

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Who Interacts with a DBMS?

Many different individuals are involved with a database management system over its life: systems analysts database designers database administrators application developers users

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Components of a Database System

Direct User Queries

Application Programs

Database Administrator

DML Processor

DDL Compiler

Authorization Tables

Database Manager

Database Description Tables

Concurrent Access Tables

File Manager

System Catalog

Physical System Database

1994, 1995 Robert Robbins

Metadata Database

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Relational Database Model

What is a relational database? a database that treats all of its data as a collection of relations

What is a relation? a kind of set a subset of a Cartesian product an unordered set of ordered tuples

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Basic Set Concepts

SET examples any collection of distinct entities of any sort. A = { 1,2,3,4,5,6 } B = { H,T } C = { R,B } D = { Grant, Sherman, Lee }

CARTESIAN PRODUCT example Note:

a set of ordered pairs, produced by combining each element of one set with each element of another set. B x C = { <H,R>,<H,B>,<T,R>,<T,B> } Cartesian products may be generated by multiplying any number of sets together. The actual number of sets involved in a particular case is said to be the degree or arity of that Cartesian product.

RELATION example Note:

a subset of a Cartesian product Q = { <H,R>,<H,B> } Relations may be of any degree (arity).

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Basic Set Concepts

A set is usually indicated by including a commadelimited list of the names its members within a pair of wavy brackets: R = { 1,2,3,4,5,6 } G = { Marshall, Eisenhower, Bradley }

The members of a set are unordered. Two sets are considered equivalent if and only if they contain exactly the same members, without regard for the order in which the members are listed. R = { 1,2,3,4,5,6 } = { 3,2,1,6,4,5 } G = { Marshall, Eisenhower, Bradley } = { Bradley, Marshall, Eisenhower }

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Basic Set Concepts

An ordered double (or triple or quadruple or ntuple) is usually indicated by including a commadelimited list of the names its members within a pair of pointed brackets: S = < 2,4 > C = < Marshall, Eisenhower, Bradley > Order must be maintained in ordered n-tuples. Two tuples are considered different if they contain the same members in a different order. S = < 2,4 > < 4,2 > C = < Marshall, Eisenhower, Bradley >
< Bradley, Eisenhower, Marshall >

A set may consist of an unordered collection of ordered tuples. For example, we could imagine the set of all ordered pairs of integers, such that the first element is the square root of the second element. R = { <1,1>,< 2,4 >,<3,9> ... }

As this ellipsis indicates, sets can be infinite in size. However, sets that are actually represented in a database must be finite.

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Basic Set Concepts

LET R be the set of possible outcomes when rolling a single red die. R = { 1,2,3,4,5,6 }

LET

B be the set of possible outcomes when rolling a single blue die. B = { 1,2,3,4,5,6 }

THEN

The Cartesian product R x B gives the set of outcomes when the two dice are rolled together: R x B: {
<1,1> <1,2> <1,3> <1,4> <1,5> <1,6> <2,1> <2,2> <2,3> <2,4> <2,5> <2,6> <3,1> <3,2> <3,3> <3,4> <3,5> <3,6> <4,1> <4,2> <4,3> <4,4> <4,5> <4,6> <5,1> <5,2> <5,3> <5,4> <5,5> <5,6> <6,1> <6,2> <6,3> <6,4> <6,5> <6,6> }

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Relation: Subset of a Cartesian Product

Set R A Cartesian product of two sets can be generated by combining every member of one set with every member of the other set. This results in a complete set of ordered pairs, consisting of every possible combination of one member of the first set combined with one member of the second set. The number of elements in a Cartesian product is equal to M x N, where M and N give the number of members in each set. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Set B 1 2 3 4 5 6

Starting two sets.

<1,1> <1,2> <1,3> <1,4> <1,5> <1,6> <2,1> <2,2> <2,3> <2,4> <2,5> <2,6>

<3,1> <3,2> <3,3> <3,4> <3,5> <3,6> <4,1> <4,2> <4,3> <4,4> <4,5> <4,6>

<5,1> <5,2> <5,3> <5,4> <5,5> <5,6> <6,1> <6,2> <6,3> <6,4> <6,5> <6,6>

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 2 3 4 5 6

A Cartesian product of two sets, shown as a list of ordered pairs.

A Cartesian product of two sets, shown as a connection diagram, with each member of the first set connected to each member of the other set.
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Relation: Subset of a Cartesian Product

<1,1> <1,2> <1,3> <1,4> <1,5> <1,6> <2,1> <2,2> <2,3> <2,4> <2,5> <2,6> <3,1> <3,2> <3,3> <3,4> <3,5> <3,6> <4,1> <4,2> <4,3> <4,4> <4,5> <4,6> <5,1> <5,2> <5,3> <5,4> <5,5> <5,6> <6,1> <6,2> <6,3> <6,4> <6,5> <6,6>
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A Cartesian product pairs every member of the first set with every member of the second set.

A relation pairs some members of the first set with some members of the second set.

<1,1> <2,2> <3,3> <4,4> <5,5> <6,6>

A relation, therefore, must always be representable as a subset of some Cartesian product.

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Relation: Set of Ordered Tuples

A binary relation is a set of ordered doubles, with one element a member of the first set and one element a member of the second set. Generally, we could represent a set of ordered doubles as below. S1 is the first set and S2 the second.

S1

S2

By adding sets, relations can be extended to include ordered triples, ordered quadruples or, in general, any ordered n-tuple, as below. A relation with n participating sets is said to be of degree n or to possess arity n.

S1 x

S2

S3

Sn

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Relations as a Database
An n-ary relation (i.e., a subset of a Cartesian product of n sets) could be be represented in a computer system as an n-column tabular file, with one member from the first set named in the first column of each record and one member of the second set in the second column, etc.

S1 x

S2

S3

Sn

Codd recognized that many of the files used in computerized information systems were very similar in structured to tabularized relations.

Smith Smith Jones Harris Ziegler

Robert Judy Greg Lloyd Fred

L. F. G. K. K.

1154 Elm Street 1154 Elm Street 765 Cedar Lane 2323 Maple Dr 7272 Cherry Ln.

Glendale Glendale Towson Towson Baltimore

MD MD MD MD MD

21200 21200 21232 21232 21208

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Relations as a Database
The business data file resembles a relation in a number of ways. The tabular file itself corresponds to a relation. Each column, or attribute, in the file corresponds to a particular set and all of the values from a particular column come from the same domain, or set. Each row, or record, in the file corresponds to a tuple

Domains (sets)

Name-L Smith Smith Jones Harris Ziegler

Name-F Robert Judy Greg Lloyd Fred

MI L. F. G. K. K.

address 1154 Elm Street 1154 Elm Street 765 Cedar Lane 2323 Maple Dr 7272 Cherry Ln.

city Glendale Glendale Towson Towson Baltimore

state MD MD MD MD MD

zip 21200 21200 21232 21232 21208

If such a file is to be genuinely interchangeable with a relation, certain contraints must be met: every tuple must be unique every attribute within a tuple must be single-valued in in all tuples, the values for the same attribute must come from the same domain or set no attributes should be null

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Relations as a Database
An essential attribute of a relation is that every tuple must be unique. This means that the values present in some individual attribute (or set of attributes) must always provide enough information to allow a unique identification of every tuple in the relation. In a relational database, these identifying values are known as key values or just as the key. Sometimes more than one key could be defined for given table. For example, in the table below (which represents, perhaps, a patient record file), several columns might serve as a key. Either patient number (assigned by the hospital) or social security number (brought with the patient) are possibilities. In addition, one might argue that the combination of last name, address, and birth date could collectively serve as a key. Any attribute or set of attributes that might possibly serve as a key is known as a candidate key. Keys that involve only one attribute are known as simple keys. Keys that involve more than one attribute are composite keys.

patient #
P-64122 P-75642 P-70875 P-79543 P-71536

SS #
123-45-6789 001-32-6873 444-44-5555 555-12-1212 888-88-8888

Last Name
Smith Pedersen Wilson Grant MacPherson

address
123 Main Street 1700 Cedar Barn Way 1321 North South St 808 Farragut Avenue 1617 Pennsylvania Ave

birth date
10 MAY 44 31 MAR 59 7 AUG 90 1 DEC 66 11 APR 60

In designing a database, one of the candidate keys for each relation must be chosen to be the primary key for that table. Choosing primary keys is a crucial task in database design. If keys need to be redesignated, the entire system may have to be redone. Primary keys can never be null and should never be changed. Sometimes none of the candidate keys for a relation are likely to remain stable over time. Then, an arbitrary identifier might be created to serve as a primary key. Such arbitrary keys are also known as surrogate keys.
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Relations as a Database
A binary relation (i.e., a subset of a Cartesian product of two sets) could be be represented in a computer system as two-column tabular file, with one member from the first set named in the first column of each record and one member of the second set in the second column. For example, a binary relation could be used to provide unique three-letter identifiers for academic departments. Additional relations could be used to give more information about individual departments or individual faculty members.

ZOL PSD CPS HIS ACC

Zoology Political Science Computer Science History Accounting

ZOL CPS BSP CEM PSD

Zoology Computer Science Biological Science Chemistry Political Science

Room 203 Room 714A Room 141 Room 320 Room 303

Natural Science Bldg Wells Hall Natural Science Bldg Chemistry Bldg South Kedzie Hall

355 4640 355 5210 353 4610 355 9175 355 6590

999-99-9999 888-88-8888 777-77-7777 666-66-6666 111-11-1111

Johnson Johnson Brown Brown Ziegler

William William James Gwen Samual

F. F. G. K. L.

1533 Raleigh Dr. 2842 Colony Ave. 99 W. East St. 99 W. East St. 7272 Cherry Ln.

Baltimore Baltimore Towson Towson Baltimore

MD MD MD MD MD

21211 21201 21232 21232 21208

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Relations as a Database
Yet another relation could be used to show what faculty were members of what departments. Notice that faculty member 999-99-9999 is a member of more than one department and that, even on this short list, the department of zoology has two members given.

999-99-9999 888-88-8888 7777-77-7777 666-66-6666 999-99-9999

ZOL PSD CPS ZOL BSP

Relations of this sort, that combine identifiers from two other relations, provide the glue that holds a relational database together.

other fields

SS Number

Faculty Relation

Member-of Relation

SS Number

Dept Code

Departments Relation

Dept Code

other fields

Whenever the values in an attribute column in one table point to primary keys in another (or the same) table, the attribute column is said to be a foreign key. Columns containing foreign keys are subject to an integrity constraint: any value present as a foreign key must also be present as a primary key.
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Relational Database Operators

Data models consist of data structures and permitted operations on those data structures. Part of Codds genius was to recognize that many of the standard set operators that can take relations as operands map nicely to real data manipulation problems: Cartesian product union intersection difference

Codd devised some additional operators to provide extra manipulatory power: select project join divide

The operators have now been extended to include more useful manipulations: outer join outer union
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Relational Database Normal Forms

Considerable study has been made of the properties of relations as they affect the behavior of relational databases. The results of these studies are captured in the definition of normal forms.

First Normal Form: A relation is in first normal form (1NF) if and only if all underlying domains contain atomic values only. Second Normal Form: A relation is in second normal form (2NF) if and only if it is in 1NF and every non-key attribute is fully dependent on the primary key. Third Normal Form: A relation is in third normal form (3NF) if and only if it is in 2 NF and the nonkey attributes are mutually independent.
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What is the E-R Data Model?

The Entity-Relationship (E-R) data model is a semantically rich model that can be mapped to a relational system.

other fields

SS Number

Faculty Relation

Member-of Relation

SS Number

Dept Code

Departments Relation

Dept Code

other fields

The three files represented above are all relations in the formal sense. Chen (1976) noted that different relations may play different roles in a database and that being able to recognize and document those roles is a key part of database design. The faculty and the department relations above both store information about particular real-world entities. The member-of relation, on the other hand, stores information about specific relationships involving individual pairs of real-world entities.

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The E-R Data Model

Different needs for access and use of the database can be supported through different user views External View 1 External View n

Logical data independence occurs here.

Conceptual Database
Definition and mapping written in data definition language

Physical data independence occurs here.

Physical Database

Implemented on physical devices, using a commercial database product

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The E-R Data Model

Layers may be added to a conceptual design in order to increase the semantic richness available at the top design level. External View 1

External View n

Conceptual Database (E-R)

Although the E-R approach does not require an underlying relational model, most E-R models can be converted to relational models fairly easily.

Conceptual Database (relational)

The entity-relationship approach (Chen, 1976) improved the mapping between the semantics of a database design and that portion of the real world being modeled with the data.

Physical Database

Codds relational model (1970) provided the first formal basis for database design.

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The E-R Data Model

If layered conceptual models are used, the layering may be perceived differently by the systems users and developers. Users often see the database only in terms of the views that they employ. System analysts and designers may think primarily about the E-R schema, whereas the database administrator is likely to deal primarily with the relational schema and the physical system.

External View 1

External View n

Moving between conceptual models can be difficult, especially if automated tools to facilitate the move are not available.

Conceptual Database (E-R)

A different conceptual model may be necessary to capture the semantics of the database domain.

Conceptual Database (relational)

If a commercial relational database system is used, mapping from a relational conceptual model to the physical database should be relatively straightforward.

If a commercial RDBMS is used, a relational conceptual model provides a basis for designing and implementing an underlying physical database.
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Physical Database

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E-R Data Model: Graphical Conventions

Sets of real-world entities are represented with named rectangles:

Faculty

Departments

Students

Classrooms

Courses

Relationships between members of entity sets are represented with named diamonds that are connected to the rectangles of the participating entity sets with directed arcs:

Departments

4,n

majors in

1,2

Students

Arcs are drawn with an orientation that points from foreign keys to primary keys. The min:max participation cardinality can be indicated by placing pairs of numbers on each arc. Here, 4,n means that every department is required to have at least four student majors, but can have many more; 1,2 means that each student is required to have at least one major and is permitted to have no more than two majors. Sometimes only the maximum participation cardinalities are shown.
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E-R Data Model: Graphical Conventions

Many different cardinalities are possible. Documenting the cardinalities is an essential part of database analysis and design.
One-to-one: Entity Set A
1 1

Relates

Entity Set B

Many-to-one: Entity Set A

Relates

Entity Set B

One-to-many: Entity Set A

1

Relates

Entity Set B

Many-to-many: Entity Set A

n

Relates

Entity Set B

One-to-many: (mandatory)

Entity Set A

1:1

Relates

1:n

Entity Set B

One-to-many: (optional)

Entity Set A

1:1

Relates

0:n

Entity Set B

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E-R Data Model: Examples

Faculty and departments entities could be related by a many-to-many member-of relationship:

Departments

member of

Faculty

They could also be related by a one-to-one chairman-of relationship:

1,1 chairman of 0,1

Departments

Faculty

The 1,1 cardinality for departments means that every department must have one and only one chairman. The 0,1 cardinality for faculty means that not all faculty participate in the chairman-of relationship and that no faculty member may participate more than once. That is, not all faculty are chairmen and no one faculty member may serve as chairman of more than one department.

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E-R Data Model: Graphical Conventions

Combining these two relationships into a single diagram, we would have:
m member of n

Departments

Faculty

1,1

chairman of

0,1

A database design derived from the figure above would allow a faculty member to chair a department of which he/she was not a member. To indicate an integrity constraint that requires membership in a department in order to chair the department, the E-R diagram would be modified as below:
Departments
m member of n

Faculty

0,1 1,1 chairman of

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E-R Data Model: Graphical Conventions

Class hierarchies (ISA hierarchies) can be indicated as below:

Person

1:n

ISA
1:n 1:n 1:n 1:n

Faculty

Staff

Student

1:n

1:n

ISA
1:n 1:n 1:n 1:n 1:n

ISA
1:n 1:n 1:n

Tenured

Untenured

Temporary

Graduate

Undergraduate

Nondegree

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E-R Data Model: Graphical Conventions

Relationships may be recursive. Here, this E-R figure represents all possible mother-child relationships among all humans.

mother:child
This cardinality indicates that not all persons participate in the relationship as mothers, but that those who do participate may participate one or more times.

0:n

1:1

This cardinality indicates that all persons participate in the relationship as child and that no child may have more than one mother.

All Persons

Recursive relationships are particularly useful for representing any data structure that could also be represented as a directed graph. Entries in the entity table represent nodes of the graph and entries in the relationship table represent arcs.

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