Beginning Database Design Solutions

Databases play a critical role in the business operations of most organizations; they're the central repository for critical information on products, customers, suppliers, sales, and a host of other essential information. It's no wonder that the majority of all business computing involves database applications.

With so much at stake, you'd expect most IT professionals would have a firm understanding of good database design. But in fact most learn through a painful process of trial and error, with predictably poor results.

This book provides readers with proven methods and tools for designing efficient, reliable, and secure databases. Author Rod Stephens explains how a database should be organized to ensure data integrity without sacrificing performance. He shares procedures for designing robust, flexible, and secure databases that provide a solid foundation for all of your database applications. The methods and techniques in this book can be applied to any database environment, including Oracle®, Microsoft Access®, SQL Server®, and MySQL®. You'll learn the basics of good database design and ultimately discover how to design a real-world database.?

What you will learn from this book

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How to identify database requirements that meet users' needs
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Ways to build data models using a variety of modeling techniques, including entity-relational models, user-interface models, and semantic object models
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Tips for understanding the different types of databases, including relational databases, flat files, spreadsheets, XML and object databases
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How to refine and tune the design to improve database performance
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Techniques for understanding the relationship between good application design and database design
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Methods for designing flexible and robust databases that can adapt to business change and growth
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Ways to design for ease of maintenance and support
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How to avoid common database design mistakes

Who this book is for

This book is for anyone interested in learning to design, build, analyze, and understand databases. No previous experience with databases or programs is required.