Save Time and Resources with Efficient Database Management: Upgrading legacy systems, integrating da

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Save Time and Resources with Efficient Database
Management Upgrading legacy systems,
integrating datasets and maintaining metadata
Sheryl K. Soborowski Fish Wildlife Information
ExchangeVirginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
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1. Developing a database or a database
application requires an investment whether in
time or resources. 2. There are numerous
benefits to investing the time in organizing and
integrating related data. 3. Consider
outlining a data/database management plan before
diving into the process.
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Consider implementing a database management plan
if you need

• to integrate interrelated data from a combination
  of storage locations
• efficient storage and easy retrieval of related
  data
• to validate data
• more than one person to simultaneously access the
  data
• friendly front ends for data entry
• customized reports

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• What you need to consider
• tackle a project that will show great results
  first to win over the doubters
• have agreement on the change in procedures
• educate staff on the use of the software chosen

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A Database Management Plan in Action

• developed a data management protocol
• data utilized by all resource managers but they
  were keeping separate copies of the information
• multiple usersmany seasonal
• legacy data
• wanted to implement changes in procedure/changes
  to field sheets
• had an agency standard to use MS Access
• multiple audiences
• federal metadata standard

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• Initial considerations
• What do you need the database to do?
• Store
• Query
• Report
• Easy Data Entry
• Who is your audience/what is their training
  level? What are their expectations?

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• Ascertain your purpose
• Give the project a meaningful name
• choose software
• define protocols
• decide to change procedure
• educate staff

System Design
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System Design

• Sketch out reports/output tables
• required fields
• calculations

Output
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System Design
Output
Data Format

• Decide what fields you need and the data type of
  those fields
• Assess whether you are able to normalize certain
  datasets (keeping in mind that you may want to
  de-normalize)

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System Design
Output
Data Format
Data Relationships

• Identify the relationships that can be made
  between your datasets
• Define a primary key for all tables

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System Design
Output
Data Format
Data Relationships
Data Validation

• Quality assurance of data entry

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System Design
Output
Data Format
Data Relationships
Data Validation
Data Input

• Input data in forms or tables?

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System Design
Output
Data Format
Data Relationships
Data Validation
Data Input
Automate

• Automate or serve to the web

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The Who, What, Where, When and How a Dataset was
Created
Metadata The best time to compile metadata is as
the data are being collected
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MetaMaker A forms based tool for collecting and
validating compliant metadata. Available free
for download at http//www.nbii.gov/tools/metamak
er/metamaker.html
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• The NBII profile adds elements, that specifically
  describe biological data, to the FGDC Content
  Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata.
• Taxonomy
• Methodology
• Analytical Tools
• The biological profile allows you to document
  three types of data sets
• 1. Explicitly biological (ex. laboratory
  research)
• 2. Biological and Geospatial (ex. Distributions
  of species)
• 3. Explicitly geospatial (ex. Roads)

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• For more information about MetaMaker and metadata
  training
• http//www.nbii.gov/training/index.html
• Training is free and open to all federal, state,
  and local agencies, museums, universities,
  private organizations and their potential data
  sharers.

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Long-term benefits of establishing a data
management plan

• standardizing makes data transferable to other
  projects and other agencies
• builds a foundation for developing potential
  partners
• increased the value of the data
• improved the efficiency of analysis
• freed personnel to perform other tasks or perform
  more complex analyses
• reduced duplication of effort
• allowed for easy dissemination of information to
  the public

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• To avoid disappointing results
• have the support of the end users
• identify what you want to gain from the database
  application
• designate a primary key
• produce at least minimal metadata
• make backups

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Subliminal slide MAKE BACKUPS!!!! CREATE
METADATA!!!!
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Metadata training http//www.nbii.gov/training/in
dex.html To learn more about the Fish Wildlife
Information Exchange http//fwie.fw.vt.edu/To
contact Sheryl K. SoborowskiFish Wildlife
Information Exchange(540) 231-7348ssoboro_at_vt.edu