The Unnormalized Relational Data Model


Book Description

Computer Science Workbench is a monograph series which will provide you with an in-depth working knowledge of current developments in computer technology. Every volume in this series will deal with a topic of importance in computer science and elaborate on how you yourself can build systems related to the main theme. You will be able to develop a variety of systems, including computer software tools, computer graphics, computer animation, database management systems, and computer-aided design and manufacturing systems. Computer Science Workbench represents an important new contribution in the field of practical computer technology. TOSIYASU L. KUNII Preface The evolution of database systems research is itself a story. Long after the emergence of systems derived from practical applications, Codd's relational data model has gradually occupied the theoretical domain of database systems and is moving into the realms of practical use. Certainly, the theoretical foundation makes database design, validation, and testing easier. However, Cod d's model allows only fiat tables to be handled, while most business and engineering data in practice are in nested table forms. Thus, a recent major obstacle in database systems development is the large gap between the theory and the practice.




Relational Database Technology


Book Description

This book presents a unified collection of concepts, tools, and techniques that constitute the most important technology available today for the design and implementation of information systems. The framework adopted for this integration goal is the one offered by the relational model of data, its applica tions, and implementations in multiuser and distributed environments. The topics presented in the book include conceptual modeling of application environments using the relational model, formal properties of that model, and tools such as relational languages which go with it, techniques for the logical and physical design of relational database systems and their imple mentations. The book attempts to develop an integrated methodology for addressing all these issues on the basis of the relational approach and various research and practical developments related to that approach. This book is the only one available today that presents such an inte gration. The diversity of approaches to data models, to logical and physical database design, to database application programming, and to use and imple mentation of database systems calls for a common framework for all of them. It has become difficult to study modern database technology with out such a unified approach to a diversity of results developed during the vigorous growth of the database area in recent years, let alone to teach a course on the subject.




The Structure of the Relational Database Model


Book Description

This book presents an overview of the most fundamental aspects of the theory that underlies the Relational Database Model. As such it is self-contained though experience with formal models and abstract data manipulating on the one hand and with the practical use of a relational system on the other hand can help the reader. Such experience will offer the reader a better understanding of and a motivation for the different concepts, theories and results mentioned in the book. We have focussed on the most basic concepts and aspects of the relational model, without trying to give a complete overview of the state of the art of database theory. Recently a lot of books on databases in general and on the relational model in particular have been published. Most of them describe the use of database systems. 'Some clarify how information has to be structured and organized before it can be used to build applications. Others help the user in writing down his applications or in finding tricky ways to optimize the running time or the necessary space. Another category of books treat more fundamental and more general aspects such as the description of the relational model, independent of any implementation, the decomposition in normal forms or the global design of distributed databases. Few, however, are the books that describe in a formal way some of the subjects mentioned above.







The Nested Universal Relation Database Model


Book Description

This monograph describes a method of data modelling whose basic aim is to make databases easier to use by providing them with logical data independence. To achieve this, the nested UR (universal relation) model is defined by extending the classical UR model to nested relations. Nested relations generalize flat relations and allow hierarchically structured objects to be modelled directly, whereas the classical UR model allows the user to view the database as if it were composed of a single flat relation. The author presents a comprehensive formalisation of the nested relational model, which incorporated null values into the model. Functional data dependencies and the classical notion of lossless decomposition are extended to nested relations and an extended chase procedure is defined to test the satisfaction of the data dependencies. The nested UR model is defined, and the classical UR model is shown to be a special case of the nested model.This implies that an UR interface canbe implemented by using the nested UR model, thus gaining the full advantages of nested relations over flat relations.




Object-Oriented Database System


Book Description

Computer Science Workbench is a monograph series which will provide you with an in depth working knowledge of current developments in computer technology. Every volume in this series will deal with a topic of importance in computer science and elaborate on how you yourself can build systems related to the main theme. You will be able to develop a variety of systems, including computer software tools, computer graphics, computer animation, database management systems, and computer-aided design and manufacturing systems. Computer Science Workbench represents an important new contribution in the field of practical computer technology. Tosiyasu L. Kunii Preface The goal of this book is to give concrete answers to questions such as what object oriented databases are, why they are needed, how they are implemented, and how they are applied, by describing a research prototype object-oriented database system called Jasmine. That is, this book is aimed at creating a consistent view to object-oriented databases. The contents of this book are directly based on the results of the Jasmine project conducted at Fujitsu Laboratories, Ltd. The book is a polished version of my doctoral dissertation, which includes research papers which I have authored and published.




Relational Database Design Clearly Explained


Book Description

Fully revised and updated, Relational Database Design, Second Edition is the most lucid and effective introduction to relational database design available. Here, you'll find the conceptual and practical information you need to develop a design that ensures data accuracy and user satisfaction while optimizing performance, regardless of your experience level or choice of DBMS. Supporting the book's step-by-step instruction are three case studies illustrating the planning, analysis, and design steps involved in arriving at a sound design. These real-world examples include object-relational design techniques, which are addressed in greater detail in a new chapter devoted entirely to this timely subject.* Concepts you need to master to put the book's practical instruction to work.* Methods for tailoring your design to the environment in which the database will run and the uses to which it will be put.* Design approaches that ensure data accuracy and consistency.* Examples of how design can inhibit or boost database application performance.* Object-relational design techniques, benefits, and examples.* Instructions on how to choose and use a normalization technique.* Guidelines for understanding and applying Codd's rules.* Tools to implement a relational design using SQL.* Techniques for using CASE tools for database design.




ICDT'86


Book Description




Principles of Database Management


Book Description

Introductory, theory-practice balanced text teaching the fundamentals of databases to advanced undergraduates or graduate students in information systems or computer science.




Nested Relations and Complex Objects in Databases


Book Description

This volume was primarily intended to present selected papers from the workshop on Theory and Applications of Nested Relations and Complex Objects, held in Darmstadt, FRG, from April 6-8, 1987. Other papers were solicited in order to provide a picture of the field as general as possible. Research on nested relations and complex objects originates in the late seventies. The motivation was to obtain data models and systems which would provide support for so-called complex objects or molecular structures, i.e., for hierarchically organized data, thereby overcoming severe shortcomings of the relational model. This theme of research is now maturing. Systems based on those ideas are beginning to be available. Languages of various natures (algebras, calculi, graphical, logic-oriented) have been designed and a theory is slowly emerging. Finally, new developments in database technology and research are incorporating features of models involving complex objects. A variety of approaches is represented in this volume. The first three papers give overviews of major pioneering implementation efforts. The fourth paper is devoted to the important issue of implementation of storage structures. The next three papers propose excursions in the foundations of nested relations and complex objects. The following six contributions are all devoted to modeling of complex objects. The area of database design is represented by the last four papers.