Database Design Using Entity-Relationship Diagrams

Entity-relationship (E-R) diagrams are time-tested models for database development well-known for their usefulness in mapping out clear database designs. Also commonly known is how difficult it is to master them. With this comprehensive guide, database designers and developers can quickly learn all the ins and outs of E-R diagramming to become expert database designers. Because E-R diagrams are so fundamental to database design, this book is also an indispensable text for teaching computer science students the basics of database development. Database Design Using Entity-Relationship Diagrams clarifies E-R diagramming by defining it in terms of requirements (end user requests) and specifications (designer feedback to those requests). The book explains how open communication between designers and end users is critical to developing usable, easy-to-understand E-R diagrams that model both requirements and specifications. The authors explain, in an intuitive, informal manner, how to develop an E-R diagram, how to map it to a database, and how the resulting database can be tested. This definitive guide is a basic component for any database course, and is also an invaluable reference that database professionals can use throughout their careers. introbul>Features

Table of Contents:
The Software Engineering Process and Relational Databases What is data and what is a database? What is the software engineering process? ER Diagrams and the Software Engineering Life Cycle Data Models The Hierarchical Model The Network Model The Relational Model Functional Dependencies - this section will be expanded significantly Summary of Chapter Exercises for Chapter 1 References Normal Forms First Normal Form Second Normal Form Third Normal Form Examples of lNF, 2NF and 3NF Example of Non lNF to lNF Example of Non 2NF to 2NF Example of Non 3NF to 3NF Summary of Chapter Exercises for Chapter 1 References The Basic ER Diagram - A Data Modeling Schema What is a data modeling schema? Defining the database - some definitions: entity, relationship, attribute A Beginning Methodology ER Design Methodology A First "Entity only" ER Diagram More about Attributes The Simple or Atomic Attribute The Composite Attribute The Multi-valued Attribute The Derived attribute The Keys English Description of the Entity The Method Mapping the Entity Diagram to a Relational Database Summary of Chapter Exercises for Chapter 3 References Case Study Beyond the First Entity Diagram Examining an Entity - Changing An Attribute to be an entity Defining a relationship for our new entity A Preliminary Grammar for the ER diagrams Defining a Second Entity Does a Relationship Exist? Attribute or relationship? Summary of Chapter Exercises for Chapter 4 References Case Study Extending Relationships/Structural Constraints The Cardinality Ratio of a Relationship Participation - Full/Partial English Descriptions Tighter English Some examples of other relationships One Final Example Mapping Relationships to a Relational Database Summary of Chapter Exercises for Chapter 5 References Case Study The Weak Entity Strong and Weak Entities Weak Entities and Structural Constraints Weak Entities and the Identifying Owner Another example or a Weak entity and the identifying owner Weak Entities connected to other Weak Entities Revisiting the Methodology Weak Entity Grammar Mapping Weak Entities to a relational database Summary of Chapter Exercises for Chapter 6 Reference Case Study Further Extensions for ER Diagrams with Binary Relationships Attributes of Relationships Relationships developing into Entities: The M:N Relationship Revisited More Entities and Relationships More Evolution of the Database Attributes That Evolve into Entities Recursive Relationships Multiple Relations The Derived or Redundant Relation An alternative ER Notation for specifying Structural Constraints on Relationships Review of the Methodology Mapping rules for Recursive Relationships Summary of Chapter Exercises for Chapter 7 References Case Study Ternary and Higher Order ER Diagrams Binary or Ternary Relationship? Ternary Relationships and Structural Constraints n-ary Relations do not preclude binary relations Methodology and Grammar for the n-ary Relationship Ternary Relationships from relationship-relationship situations n-ary Relationships May be Resolved into Binary Relationships Mapping to ternary diagrams to a relational database Summary of Chapter Exercises for Chapter 8 References Generalizations and Specializations What is a Generalization or Specialization? A Problem with Variants Example of a Generalization/Specialization Methodology and Grammar in Generalization/Specialization relationships Mapping rules for EER Diagrams Summary of Chapter Exercises for Chapter 9 References Case Study Relational Mapping and Reverse Engineering ER Diagrams Steps used to map an ER diagram to a Relational Database Reverse Engineering Examples of Reverse Engineering Summary of Chapter References Exercises for Chapter 10 A Brief Overview of the Barker/Oracle-like Model A First "Entity only" ER Diagram - An Entity with Attributes Attributes in the Barker/Oracle-like model Relationships in the Barker/Oracle-like model Structural constraints in the Barker/Oracle-like model Dealing with the concept of the weak entity in the Barker/Oracle-like model Dealing with the concept of multivalued attributes in the Barker/Oracle-like model Treatment of Foreign keys Recursive relationships in the Barker/Oracle-like model Mapping M:N relations Summary of Chapter Exercises for Chapter 11 References Glossary Index