The Database Idea

1
The Database Idea

• Some General Principles

2
General Principles

• Data has uses
• Store once, access many times
• Data life cycle
• Data integrity
• Data auditing

3
Data Uses

• The database has to be
• DEFINED
• CREATED
• ADMINISTERED, EVALUATED
• POPULATED (THROUGH FORMS)
• DISPOSED OF
• The data in the database has to be
• ACCESSED THROUGH QUERIES
• INTEGRATED INTO REPORTS
• UPDATED BASED ON TRANSACTIONS

Database Administration Functions
Database User Functions
4
Store Once, Access Many Times
Sales
5
Data Life Cycle
Data Base
6
Data Integrity

• There are levels of activity
• Definition
• Creation
• Access
• Update
• Maintenance
• Disposition
• Only certain processes and their owners and
  operators have specific levels of access
• Access levels can apply to any part of the data
  base
• Violations of data integrity are expected and
  procedures are in place to re-create integrity

7
Data Auditing

• All activity is tracked
• Violations of integrity result in alarms and
  hence in a variety of defensive behaviors
• Audit reports are produced regularly
• Certain agencies care about auditing