STARZ COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY
Second Semester 2017

Assignment One
Introduction to Database (ENRG 286)
Section 1
1. Discuss the History of Database

People began to store information very long ago. In the ancient times, elaborate database
systems were developed by government offices, libraries, hospitals, and business organizations,
and some of the basic principles of these systems are still being used today. Computerized
database started in the 1960s, when the use of computers became a more cost-effective option
for private organizations. There were two popular data models in this decade: a network model
called CODASYL and a hierarchical model called IMS. E.F. Codd published an important paper to
propose the use of a relational database model between 1970 to 1972, and his ideas changed
the way people thought about databases. In his model, the database’s schema, or logical
organization, is disconnected from physical information storage, and this became the standard
principle for database systems.

Two major relational database system prototypes were created between the years 1974 and
1977, and they were the Ingres, which was developed at UBC, and System R, created at IBM San
Jose. Ingres used a query language known as QUEL, and it led to the creation of systems such as
Ingres Corp., MS SQL Server, Sybase, Wang’s PACE, and Britton-Lee. On the other hand, System
R used the SEQUEL query language, and it contributed to the development of SQL/DS, DB2,
Allbase, Oracle, and Non-Stop SQL. It was also in this decade that Relational Database
Management System, or RDBMS, became a recognized term. A new database model called
Entity-Relationship, or ER, was proposed by P. Chen 1976. This model made it possible for
designers to focus on data application, instead of logical table structure. Structured Query
Language, or SQL, became the standard query language in the 1980s.

Relational database systems became a commercial success as the rapid increase in computer
sales boosted the database market, and this caused a major decline in the popularity of
network and hierarchical database models. After a database industry shakeout, most of the
surviving companies sold complex database products at high prices. Around the Early 1990s ,
new client tools for application development were released, and these included the Oracle
Developer, PowerBuilder, VB, and others. A number of tools for personal productivity, such as
ODBC and Excel/Access, were also developed.

The advent of the Internet led to exponential growth of the database industry. Average desktop
users began to use client-server database systems to access computer systems that contained
legacy data in the Mid 1990s. Late 1990s increased investment in online businesses resulted in
a rise in demand for Internet database connectors, such as Front Page, , Dream Weaver, and
Oracle Developer 2000. New interactive applications were developed for PDAs, point-of-sale
transactions, and consolidation of vendors. Presently, the three leading database companies in
the western world are Microsoft, IBM, and Oracle.
 2. Discuss at least five (5) DBMS for each data model.

The types of data models along with their DBMS are as follows:

I. Flat file database – A flat file database is a database stored as an ordinary unstructured file
called a "flat file". DBMS for this data model include:
 Text editor is a type of program used for editing plain text files.
 Word processor is an electronic device or computer software application, that performs
the task of composing, editing, formatting, and printing of documents.
 Spreadsheet is an interactive computer application for organization, analysis and storage
of data in tabular form.
 WebDNA is a server-side scripting, interpreted language with an embedded database
system, specifically designed for the World Wide Web. Its primary use is in creating
database-driven dynamic web page applications.

II. Hierarchical database model – A hierarchical database model is a data model in which the
data is organized into a tree-like structure. DBMS for this data model include:
 Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores low-level settings for the
Microsoft Windows operating system and for applications that opt to use the Registry.
 XML database is a data persistence software system that allows data to be specified, and
sometimes stored, in XML format.
 IBM IMS the IMS Database component stores data using a hierarchical model, which is
quite different from IBM's later released relational database, DB2. In IMS, the hierarchical
model is implemented using blocks of data known as segments. Each segment can contain
several pieces of data, which are called fields.

III. Network model – The network model is a database model conceived as a flexible way of
representing objects and their relationships. DBMS for this data model include:
• Integrated Data Store this DBMS was designed om the 1960s at the computer division
of General Electric. It was released in 1964, it wasn’t easy to use or implement applications
with IDS, because it was designed to maximize performance using the hardware available
at that time.
• Integrated Database Management System CA IDMS is primarily a network database
management for mainframes. One of the sophisticated features of IDMS was its built-in
integrated data dictionary. The IDD was primarily developed to maintain database
definitions. It was itself an IDMS database. The language used to interface with this
database was called Data Dictionary Definition Language (DDDL).
• RDM Embedded this database has a property which is intended to guarantee validity
even in the event of errors, power failures, etc. it was designed for use in embedded
 systems applications. It has been designed to utilize multi-core computers, networking,
and on-disk or in-memory storage management.
• TurboImage is one of several names used to refer to a database developed by Hewlett
Packard and included with the HP3000 minicomputer. It is the primary reason that the
HP300 was a success. It is a reliable, simple, fast database for mainframe computer real-
time operating system made by Hewelett-Packard.
• RDM Server this is an embeddable, heterogeneous, client/server DBMS supporting both
C/C++ and SQL APIs for programming flexibility. The databases can be disk resident and/or
memory resident.

IV. Relational model – The relational model (RM) for database management is an approach to
managing data using a structure and language consistent with first-order predicate logic,
first described in 1969 by Edgar F. Codd, where all data is represented in terms of tuples,
grouped into relations.
DBMS for this data model include:
• Oracle is an object-relational DBMS which is written in assembly language, C, C++. The
DBMS stores data logically in the form of table spaces and physically in the form of data
files.
• MySQL it is an open-source relational database management system. It is written in C
and C++.
• FileMaker Pro is a cross-platform relational database application from FileMaker Inc., a
subsidiary of Apple Inc. It integrates a database engine with a graphical user interface and
security features, allowing users to modify the database by dragging new elements into
layouts, screens, or forms.
• SQL Server this is a software from Microsoft corporation. It’s a relational database
management system. The enterprise software programs and websites use this database
software for storing and retrieving digital data
• Microsoft Access is a database management system (DBMS) from Microsoft that
combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user interface and
software-development tools.

3. Discuss each role of data within context.

The roles of data are:

 To Identify
Data helps to identify in many instances. For a context where I am an administrator of a
school, and I want to identify which subject being taught in my school has the lowest
 grades. I would refer to the data which is the grade sheets of all the teachers to know
where the lowest grades are.
 To explain
In the same case where I am an administrator and my school has a board. I could use the
data (grade sheets) to explain to the board why we need to revise the school’s curriculum
in order to improve the students’ performance.
 To administer
Since to administer means to manage. In this same case of being a school’s administrator I
could refer to some of the attendance and other statistics of the students to make sure
they are in class and serve as a better administrator by asking the teachers to improve
their lessons and use a different approach. In that sense I am using the data (attendance
and students’ statistics) to administer the school better.
 To plan
Using data to plan is one of the most common usage of data. In the instance where I am a
father in the house and I have two children who are in school, I could go to these schools
ahead of time and find out their fees. I could use the fees serving as data in this case to
plan how I would use my salary the next month.
 To monitor
Data helps to monitor in many cases. In the context where I am a building project
manager I would need to collect data on the amount of materials being used by the
builders to know and monitor how the project is going.
 To analyze
Data would help me analyze in the instance where I am a student taking a physics test, I
would have to use the data given in the test question to analyze it into the formula in
order to work the problem.
 To implement
In the case of me being a building constructor, I would need to refer to my plan and
estimate to build a house and make sure I use the right amount of equipment.
 To make decisions
Data collected from surveys sometimes help government and major organizations make
decisions on how to organize their budget and use their funds. It helps them to make
major decisions on probably cutting down staff or adding to their workforce.

4. Do questions 1 & 2 of the ER Modeling Exercises document.

i. What is the cardinality and existence of each of the following relationships in just the
direction given? State any assumptions you have to make.
a. Husband to wife – the relationship in this case is husband marries wife. For our
Christian setting, the cardinality in this case will be 1:1.
 b. Student to degree – the relationship is student acquires degree. For a case where
many student could acquire degrees and those same degrees could possibly be
acquired by others, the cardinality is M:N.
c. Child to parent – the relationship is Child is supported by parents. Since the possibility
exists that each child could have two or more parents (step) and a parent could have
more than one child, the cardinality is M:N.
d. Player to team – the relationship is player plays for team. In the case where a player
is only entiled to play for one team the cardinality is 1:N.
e. Student to course – the relationship is student plans courses. The possibility exists
that many students might plan many courses and those same courses might be
planned by other students, as a result the cardinality is M:N.

ii. For each of the following pairs of rules, identify two entity types and one relationship.
State the cardinality and existence of the relationship in each case. If you don’t think
enough information is available to define either of these, then state an assumption that
makes it clear. Draw the ER diagram.
a. A department employs many persons. A person is employed by, at most, one
department.

Department
1 Employs M Person

b. A manager manages, at most, one department. A department is managed by, at

most, one manager.

Manager
1 Manages 1 Department

c. An author may write many books. A book may be written by many authors.

Author
M Writes M Book
d. A team consists of many players. A player plays for only one team.

Team
1 Consists M Player
of

e. A lecturer teaches, at most, one course. A course is taught by exactly one lecturer.

Lecturer
1 Teaches
1 Course

f. A flight-leg connects two airports. An airport is used by many flight-legs.

Flight-leg
M Connects M Airports

g. A purchase order may be for many products. A product may appear on many purchase
orders.

Purchase order
M Consists M Products
of

h. A customer may submit many orders. An order is for exactly one customer.

Customer
1 Submits M Order
 References

Butleranalytics. The History of database

http://www.butleranalytics.com/a-short-history-of-database/

Computer History. The History of database

http://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/memory-storage/8/265/2207

Wikipedia free encyclopedia. Data model

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_model

Techwalla. Relational Data model.

https://www.google.nl/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=21&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=
0ahUKEwjO4K_RwMXWAhXMhrQKHVsdD_AQFgiWATAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.techwalla.com%2
Farticles%2Fdifference-flat-file-relational-database&usg=AFQjCNHkDhkAhgDcCM8XAY_fKFx0G3fsTg

Mytechbits. SQL Server.

http://www.mytecbits.com/Microsoft/sql-server/