Module Information
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 20 x 1 Hour Lectures |
| Lecture | 22 x 1 Hour Lectures |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Exam | 2 Hours Written Exam | 60% |
| Semester Assessment | Regular Worksheets | 10% |
| Semester Assessment | Design a Multi-table Relational Database | 30% |
| Supplementary Exam | 2 Hours Written Exam | 60% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Design Database Note - Students must resit failed examination and/or resubmission of failed/non-submitted coursework components or ones of equivalent value. | 40% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Design and validate a database from a given enterprise description, justifying design decisions.
Implement a database design using a modern DBMS.
Access a database through an appropriate programmatic interface.
Explain and provide a rationale for relational, semi-structured and alternative data model concepts.
Explain key principles of database and information security.
Brief description
This module develops the concepts of database design, and implementation and use. The emphasis is on relational and semi-structured (XML) systems but object databases are introduced. It covers practical topics concerned with modelling and effective use of the facilities provided by a modern Database Management System (DBMS). Theoretical topics include data modelling, placing particular emphasis on the data model, relational algebra and the realisation of the relational model in a DBMS.
Content
Review and persistence, outline history. The value of general models: relational; object oriented; semi-structured. Databases, DBMS and applications programs. DBMS as reuse.
2. Relational Modelling - 6 lectures
Entities and relationships. Connection traps. The design of relations. Transformation of an E-R model into a relational schema. Use of UML.
3. The Relational Model - 6 lectures
Domains, relations and tuples. Primary and foreign keys. Referential integrity. Relational algebra. Null values and the outer join. Data normalisation. Validating a design.
4. SQL and implementation - 4 lectures
Introduction. Status. DDL statements. SELECT clauses. Constraints. Built-in functions. Queries and views. Nested SELECT. Stored procedures.
5. Additional relational integrity constraints - 2 lectures
Table and database level constraints. Triggers. Use of stored procedures.
6. Transactions - 2 lectures
Introduction to transactions. ACID properties. Rollback.
7. Integration with general high level languages - 2 lectures
Embeddings and APIs. DBMS connections and services. ODBC, JDBC. Application development. The data dictionary.
8. The semi-structured database model and XML - 8 lectures
The model: outline; perceived advantages. The XML standard. XMLSchema: overview; type constraint; keys and keyrefs; comparison with SQL. XPath and XQuery: syntax; power. XML databases: native databases; extensions to RDBMS.
9. Database and Information Security - 5 lectures
Threats to database and information. Techniques to secure persistent data, such as cryptography, steganography, access control and hashing.
10. Not Only SQL (NoSQL) - 3 lectures
The original NoSQL, a collection of shell utilities. Object-relational databases. Not only SQL, implemetations and applications.
11. The Java Persistence API - 4 lectures
Introduction to and practical demonstation of the Java Persistence API.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Communication | Requirements analysis is a major component. This requires careful and insightful reading and analysis of customer documents, followed by reflection of requirements back to the customer to verify mutual understanding. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Systematic and comprehensive analysis and design require good working practices, which are explored in the module. |
| Information Technology | Database systems are central to much IT. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Use of UML (industry standard modelling language). Use of SQL and XML languages, plus additional aspects of Java. Experience of a major DBMS. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5