BDA102A — Introduction to Databases – Part 1

Topics Covered in Course

• Define the difference between data and information
• Describe what a database is, the various types of databases, and why they are valuable assets for decision making
• Explain the importance of database design

• Outline how modern databases evolved from file systems
• Identify flaws in file system data management
• Outline the main components of the database system
• Describe the main functions of a database management system (DBMS)
• Discuss data modeling and why data models are important
• Describe the basic data-modeling building blocks
• Define what business rules are and how they influence database design
• Outline how the major data models evolved
• List emerging alternative data models and the needs they fulfill
• Explain how data models can be classified by their level of abstraction
• Describe the relational database model’s logical structure
• Identify the relational model’s basic components and explain the structure, contents, and characteristics of a relational table
• Use relational database operators to manipulate relational table contents
• Explain the purpose and components of the data dictionary and system catalog
• Identify appropriate entities and then the relationships among the entities in the relational database model
• Describe how data redundancy is handled in the relational database model
• Explain the purpose of indexing in a relational database
• Identify the main characteristics of entity relationship components
• Describe how relationships between entities are defined, refined, and incorporated into the database design process
• Explain how ERD components affect database design and implementation
• Describe how real-world database design often requires the reconciliation of conflicting goal
• Describe the main extended entity relationship (EER) model constructs and how they are represented in ERDs and EERDs
• Use entity clusters to represent multiple entities and relationships in an entity relationship diagram (ERD)
• Describe the characteristics of good primary keys and how to select them
• Apply flexible solutions for special data-modeling cases
• Explain normalization and its role in the database design process
• Identify each of the normal forms: 1NF, 2NF, 3NF, BCNF, 4NF, and 5NF
• Explain how normal forms can be transformed from lower normal forms to higher normal forms
• Apply normalization rules to evaluate and correct table structures
• Identify situations that require denormalization to generate information efficiently
• Use a data-modeling checklist to check that the ERD meets a set of minimum requirements
• Retrieve specified columns of data from a database
• Join multiple tables in a single SQL query
• Restrict data retrievals to rows that match complex criteria
• Aggregate data across groups of rows
• Create subqueries to preprocess data for inclusion in other queries
• Identify and use a variety of SQL functions for string, numeric, and date manipulation
• Explain the key principles in crafting a SELECT query
• Use SQL to create a table manually
• Use SQL to create a copy of a table using a subquery
• Manipulate the structure of existing tables to add, modify, and remove columns and constraints
• Use SQL to do data manipulation (insert, update, and delete rows of data)
• Use SQL to create database views, including updatable views
• Use procedural SQL to create triggers, stored procedures, and procedural SQL functions
• Create embedded SQL