Chapter 9 Database Management Systems CONTROLLING ACCESS TO THE DATABASE

FLAT-FILE APPROACH. Users own their data files in The Database Management System
data management
 PURPOSE : to provide controlled access to the
1. The first problem is a business culture that database
erects barriers between organizational units that  The DBMS is a special software system that is
inhibit entity-wide integration of data. programmed to know which data elements each
2. The second problem stems from limitations in user is authorized to access
flat-file management technology that require
data files to be structured to the unique needs of Three Conceptual Models
the primary user. Thus, the same data, used in The most common database approaches used for
slightly different ways by different users, may business information systems :
need to be restructured and reproduced in
physically different files 1. Hierarchical navigational or structured models
2. Network
DATA REDUNDANCY. The cause of three types of data 3. Relational models - far more flexible by allowing
management problems: users to create new and unique paths through
1. data storage the database to solve a wider range of business
2. data updating problems
3. currency of information *navigational or structured models - The way that
Data Storage. Efficient information system captures and data are organized in these early database systems
stores data only once and makes this single source forces users to navigate between data elements
available to all users who need it. This is not possible in using predefined structured paths
the flat-file environment Elements of the Database Environment
Data Updating. When users maintain separate files, any  Database environment into four primary
such change must be made separately for each user. elements
This adds significantly to the cost of data management. 1. Users
Currency of Information. If update messages are not 2. DBMS
properly disseminated, then some users may not record 3. Database administrator
the change and will perform their duties and make 4. Physical database
decisions based on outdated data. USERS
TASK-DATA DEPENDENCY
 how users access the database in two ways:
 (flat-file approach) user’s inability to obtain 1. application programs
additional information as his or her needs  systems professionals prepare
change this
 The user’s information set is constrained by the  programs send data access
data that he or she possesses and controls requests (calls) to the DBMS,
which validates the requests
THE DATABASE APPROACH and retrieves the data for
processing
 pooling of data into a common database that is  presence of the DBMS is
shared by all the users. transparent to the users
FLAT-FILE PROBLEMS SOLVED 2. Direct query
 requires no formal user
 Data sharing (the absence of ownership) is the programs
central concept of the database approach. Let’s  DBMS has a built-in query
see how this resolves the problems identified. facility that allows authorized
1. No data redundancy users to process data
2. Single update independent of professional
3. Current values programmers
4. Task-data independence.  query facility provides a friendly
environment for integrating and
retrieving data to produce ad
hoc management reports
DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM The user view

 provides a controlled environment to assist (or - defines how a particular user sees the portion of
prevent) user access to the database and to the database that he or she is authorized to
efficiently manage the data resource access
 Each DBMS model accomplishes these - Unlike the internal and conceptual views, many
objectives differently, but some typical features distinct user views exist
include:
Data manipulation language
1. Program development -
2. Backup and recovery - During - Data manipulation language (DML) is the
processing, the DBMS periodically proprietary programming language that a
makes backup copies of the physical particular DBMS uses to retrieve, process, and
database store data.
3. Database usage reporting - This
feature captures statistics on what data Query language
are being used, when they are used,
- The query capability of the DBMS permits end
and who uses them
users and professional programmers to access
4. Database access
data in the database directly without the need for
o three software modules that
conventional programs
facilitate this task:
 data definition language *structured query language (SQL, pronounced
 data manipulation sequel) has emerged as the standard query
language language for both mainframe and microcomputer
 query language DBMSs
Data definition language - is a fourth-generation, nonprocedural
language with many commands that
Data definition language (DDL) is a programming
allow users to input, retrieve, and modify
language used to define the physical database to the
data easily
DBMS.
* The SELECT command is a powerful tool for
 The DDL defines the database on three levels
retrieving data
called views
1) internal view DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR
2) conceptual view (schema)
3) user view (subschema) - responsible for managing the database
resource
The internal view - does not exist in the flat-file environment
- The duties of the DBA fall into the following
 presents the physical arrangement of records in
areas
the database.
1. database planning
 This is the lowest level of representation, which 2. database design
is one step removed from the physical database. 3. database implementation
 describes the structure of records, the linkages 4. database operation and
between them, and the physical arrangement maintenance
and sequence of records in a file 5. database change and growth
 There is only one internal view of the database.

The conceptual view or schema

- represents the database logically and abstractly,