1. Fluency with Information Technology INFO100 and CSE100 Katherine Deibel 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology1

2.  We have so far discussed  What a database is  What database operations do  Today, we will discuss  Databases as tools  How queries are used 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology2

3.  Keep records of our:  Clients  Staff  Volunteers  Keep a record of activities and interventions  Keep sales records  Develop reports  Perform research  Longitudinal tracking 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology3

4. Field (columns in a table) Smallest unit of information in a table Sometime called “attributes” Record (rows in a table) All related fields are collectively called a record TableA collection of records is a data table Database Management System (DBMS) All the related tables, queries, data entry and edit forms, reports, macros and VBA modules that constitute a database 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology4 Fields (columns) Records (rows) AndersonThomasA123 Marine Dr237-1234 BensonKarenC1300 Ohio Ave237-8912 CasserlyRickJ12492 Rt 146238-9011 DrummondLynnM1209 15 th Ave N931-4545 Table

5. Field (columns in a table) Smallest unit of information in a table Sometime called “attributes” Record (rows in a table) All related fields are collectively called a record TableA collection of records is a data table Database Management System (DBMS) All the related tables, queries, data entry and edit forms, reports, macros and VBA modules that constitute a database 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology5 Fields (columns) Records (rows) AndersonThomasA123 Marine Dr237-1234 BensonKarenC1300 Ohio Ave237-8912 CasserlyRickJ12492 Rt 146238-9011 DrummondLynnM1209 15 th Ave N931-4545 Table

6.  Data (according to Information Science)  Unprocessed, raw information  Information  Organized, structured data that is communicated in a coherent and meaningful manner  Knowledge  Information that has been evaluated and further organized so that it can be used purposefully  Action  Applying knowledge towards achieving goals 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology6

7.  We collect data  Information is harvested from the data  Many companies are good at collecting data  Fewer are good at harvesting information  Knowledge is elicited from the information and put into action  Database Management Systems are tools for supporting this transformation process 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology7 DataInformationKnowledgeAction

8. The Tools for Data to Information to Knowledge to Action 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology8

9.  DMSs are software data tools to:  Store (tables)  Organize (sort)  Add, modify or delete  Ask questions (queries)  Produce forms and reports  Toolbox is a good analogy 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology9

10.  Microsoft Access  FileMaker Pro  Lotus Notes  Structured Query Language (SQL)  Microsoft SQL Server  Oracle  MySQL 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology10

11.  Three major distinctions  Purpose of database: Operational versus Analytical  Data representation: Flat-file versus Relational  Implementation: Desktop versus Client/Server 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology11

12.  Desktop databases  Oriented toward single-user applications  Reside on standard personal computers  Client / Server databases  Contain mechanisms to ensure the reliability and consistency of data  Offers security options on [subsets of] data  Oriented toward multi-user applications 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology12

13. Operational databases  Used to track and assist in daily “business” activities  Data typically changes frequently over time  Examples  Human resources  Mailing lists  Inventory management  Accounting systems  Point of sale systems (cash registers) Analytical databases  Tend to be more static  Historical data is analyzed for patterns or trends  Often support the strategic activities of an organization  Goals may include  Predicting the future  Summarizing historical data  Prove historical assumptions 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology13

14. Flat-File Database  All relevant data in a single table, or series of unrelated tables  Work best for small quantities of data  Typically a person’s first databases Relational Database  Solution to data entry redundancy problems  Tables linked together queried as if one table  Linked via common fields (columns) with exactly the same data 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology14

15.  Weaknesses common to flat-file systems  Duplicate information is repeated redundantly  Inconsistencies in how data is entered 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology15

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18. Our quarry is the query 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology18

19.  Users rarely work with the entire database  Exception are the database managers  Instead, users interact through  Forms: read and write data  Reports: read only  All of these are based on the query 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology19

20.  Forms allow interaction with the database in a more scripted fashion  Data is read and maybe even edited 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology20

21.  Reports are summaries generated from the database  Read-only 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology21

22.  Generate a table from other tables in the database via sequences of operations  Select  Difference  Project  Product  Union  Join  SQL: Structured Query Language  Standard database language 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology22

23.  SQL sequences are usually auto-generated  Interfaces allow easy construction of SQL  We can view the generated SQL if we want 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology23

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25.  Some records may be editable  If the data is linked to a primary key  Generally not true for collapsed data 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology25

26.  Relies on primary keys and the underlying intelligence of the database  Further security settings can set edit rights  Updates can be sent out to all views  Synchronization is a big issue  Editing a linked value will chance all instances 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology26

27.  Expanded database from Lab 10 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology27

28.  A good relational database  Uses IDs to connect records across tables (i.e. relationships)  Provides specific views to meet specific users' needs  Learning these skills is beyond the scope of this course  Knowing the essential ideas is part of being fluent in databases  We will discuss some basic design on Friday 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology28

29.  Queries, on the high-level, are the final outcome of transforming data into action  Database Management Systems provide tools for creating and manipulating queries 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology29

30.  You will get to explore a database by playing different roles at an interstellar travel agency  Astronomical cartographer  Trip planner  Planetary information broker  End consumer 2012-05-23Katherine Deibel, Fluency in Information Technology30