Unit 1: Database System Concept

1. Define Database. List any two properties of database.

Definition: Database is defined as collection of related data.

Properties of database are:
i) Self-describing nature of a database system
ii) Insulation between programs and data
iii)Support of multiple views of the data
iv) Sharing of data and multi-user transaction processing
v) Controlling Redundancy.

2. List any four DBMS software

1. Oracle,
2. MySQL,
3. Microsoft Access,
4. Microsoft SQL Server,
5. IBM DB2

3. Define DBMS. List any two applications of DBMS.

DBMS: A database-management system is a collection of interrelated data and a

set of programs to access those data.
Applications of DBMS:
1. Banking
2. Airlines and railways
3. Sales
4. Telecommunications
5. Universities.
6. Manufacturing
7. E-commerce
8. Credit card transactions.

4. List any four advantages of DBMS.

List and explain any four functions of Database Administrator.List any
four advantages of DBMS System.
Following are the advantages of distributed databases over
centralized databases.
1. Modular Development − If the system needs to be expanded to new locations or new units, in
centralized database systems, the action requires substantial efforts and disruption in the existing
functioning.
2. More Reliable − In case of database failures, the total system of centralized databases comes
to a halt. However, in distributed systems, when a component fails, the functioning of the system
continues may be at a reduced performance. Hence DDBMS is more reliable.
3. Better Response − If data is distributed in an efficient manner, then user requests can be met
from local data itself, thus providing faster response.
4. Lower Communication Cost − In distributed database systems, if data is located locally
where it is mostly used, then the communication costs for data manipulation can be minimized.
5.Local autonomy:
Since data is distributed, a group of users that commonly share such data can have it placed at
the site where they work, and thus have local control.
6. Expandability:
Expansion can be easily achieved by adding processing and storage power to the existing
network.
7 Schema Definition
The Database Administrator creates the database schema by executing DDL statements. Schema
includes the logical structure of database table (Relation) like data types of attributes, length of
attributes, integrity constraints etc.
8 Storage structure and access method definition The DBA creates appropriate storage
structures and access methods by writing a set of definitions which is translated by data storage
and DDL compiler.
9 Schema and physical organization modification DBA writes set of definitions to modify the
database schema or description of physical storage organization.
10 Granting authorization for data access
The DBA provides different access rights to the users according to their level. Ordinary users
might have highly restricted access to data, while you go up in the hierarchy to the administrator,
you will get more access rights. Integrity constraints specifications: Integrity constraints are
written by DBA and they are stored in a special file which is accessed by database manager
while updating data.
11 Routine Maintenance some of the routine maintenance activities of a DBA is given below.
(i) Taking backup of database periodically
(ii) Ensuring enough disk space is available all the time.
(iii) Monitoring jobs running on the database.
(iv) Ensure that performance is not degraded by some expensive task submitted by some users.
12. Integrity- constraint specification: Integrity constraints are written by DBA and they are
stored in a special file, which is accessed by database manager, while updating the data.
 5. Explain different applications of DBMS.

Airlines and Railways: Online database for reservation, displaying the schedule information.
Banking: Customer inuiry, accounts, loans, and other transactions.
Education: Course registration, result, and other information.
Telecommunications: Communication network, telephone numbers, record of calls, for
generating monthly bills, etc.
E-commerce: Business activity such as online shopping, booking of holiday package, consulting
a doctor, etc.
Human resources: Organizations use database for storing information about their employees,
salaries, benefits,taxes, and for generating salary checks.

6. What is DBMS? Explain its functions.

“DBMS : A database-management system is a collection of interrelated data and a set of

programs to access those data.”

Database Communication Interfaces: The end-user's requests for database access are
transmitted to DBMS in the form of communication messages.
Authorization / Security Management: The DBMS protects the database against unauthorized
access, either international or accidental. It furnishes mechanism to ensure that only authorized
users an access the database.
Backup and Recovery Management: The DBMS provides mechanisms for backing up data
periodically and recovering from different types of failures. This prevents the loss of data.
Concurrency Control Service: Since DBMSs support sharing of data among multiple users,
they must provide a mechanism for managing concurrent access to the database. DBMSs ensure
that the database kept in consistent state and that integrity of the data is preserved.
Transaction Management: A transaction is a series of database operations, carried out by a
single user or application program, which accesses or changes the contents of the database.
Therefore, a DBMS must provide a mechanism to ensure either that all the updates
corresponding to a given transaction are made or that none of them is made.
Database Access and Application Programming Interfaces: All DBMS provide interface to
enable applications to use DBMS services. They provide data access via Structured Query
Language (SQL). The DBMS query language contains two components: (a) a Data Definition
Language (DDL) and (b) a Data Manipulation Language (DML).
Data integrity and consistency: To provide data integrity and data consistency, the dbms
uses sophisticated algorithms to ensure that multiple user can access the database concurrently
without compromising the integrity of the database.

7. Explain two disadvantages of file processing system.

Disadvantages of file processing system
1. Data redundancy and inconsistency :
Since the files and application programs are created by different programmers over a long
period, the various files are likely to have different formats and the programs may be written in
several programming languages. So , the same information may be duplicated in several places
(files).That repetition of information is known as redundancy. This redundancy leads to higher
storage and access cost. In addition, it may lead to data inconsistency, that is different copies
ofthe same data may have different values.

2. Difficulty in accessing data :

The conventional file processing system do not allow to access data in a convenient and efficient
way. As the data was scattered in different files and whenever need arises different application
programs were written by different programmers in different formats.
3. Data isolation
As the data scattered in various files and files may be in different formats, writing new
application programs to retrieve the data is very difficult.
4. Integrity problems
The data values stored in the database must satisfy certain types of consistency constraints.
When new constraints are added, it is difficult to change the programs to enforce them.
5. Atomicity problems
A computer system, like any other mechanical or electrical device, is subject to failure.
If any failure occurs in the system the transaction which are executing should fully get executed
or should not, so that database remains in consistent state.
6. Concurrent-access anomalies
To improve the performance of the system, multiple transactions must get executed concurrently.
Multiple transactions may be updating the same data concurrently. In such case the data may
result in inconsistent state
7. Security problems
Only authorized person should be able to modify the data. Security should be maintained at
different levels which were not possible in file processing system.

8. What are data independence? What are its types?

Describe data independence with its type.

Data Independence: It is the ability to modify a schema in one level without affecting schema
in another level.
There are two types of data independence:
1) Logical data independence
2) Physical data independence.
Logical data independence: It is the ability to change conceptual schema without affecting
external schema or application programs.
Physical data independence: It is the ability to change internal schema without affecting
conceptual or external schema.

9. Explain three levels of data abstraction with suitable diagram. What is data
abstraction? What are the levels of abstraction? What is data abstraction,
instances and schema?
Explain three levels of data abstraction with suitable diagram.

Data abstraction is a process in which developer hides the complexity from the user to
simplify the user interaction with the system. There are three levels of abstraction:-

Explanation:
1) Physical Level:

It is lowest level of abstraction.

This level defines lowest complicated data structure of database system.

This level hidden from user.
It defines how the data are stored.

2) Logical Level:
The level next to physical level is called logical level.

This level defines what data stored in the database and what are the relationships among these
data.

Fully decides the structure of the entire database.

3) View Level:
This level is used to show the part of database to user.

There are more complexity in physical as well as logical level so user should not interact with
complicated database.

So different view of database can be created for user to interact with database easily.

Schema: The overall design of the database is known as schema. The database schemas are
partitioned at different level of abstractions.
Instance: The collection of information stored in the databases at a particular moment is called
as an instance.

10. Draw overall structure of DBMS.

Explain the overall structure of DBMS with suitable diagram. Draw
diagram for overall architecture of DBMS.
Components of DBMS structure are classified in 3 categories as:
2. Query processor :
 Embedded DML pre compiler: It converts DML statements embedded in application
 program to normal procedural calls in host language.
 DML Compiler: It translates DML statements of high level language into low level
  instruction that a query evaluation engine understands.
 DDL interpreter: It interprets DDL statements and records them in a set of
tablescontaining metadata.
 Query evaluation Engine: It executes low level instructions generated by
DMLcompiler and DDL interpreter.

2. Storage Manager Components :

 Transaction manager: It ensures that the database remains in consistenet state despite
of the system failure and that concurrent transaction execution proceeds without
conflicting.
 File Manager: It manages the allocation of space on disk storage and data
structuresused to represent information stored on disk.
 Buffer Manager: It is responsible for fetching data from disk storage into main
memoryand deciding what data to cache memory.
3. Disk storage :
 Data files: It stores the database.
 Data Dictionary: It stores metadata that hold particular values.
 Indices: Provide fast access to data items that hold particular values.
Statistical data : It stores statistical information about the data in the database. This
informationis used by query processor to select efficient ways to execute query.

11. List various data models.

List any two data model.

Relational Database
Hierarchical Model,
Network Model,
E-R Model
Hierarchical Model
In this model each entity has only one parent but can have several children . At the top of
hierarchy there is only one entity which is called Root.
Network Model
In the network model, entities are organised in a graph,in which some entities can be
accessed through sveral path
Relational Model

In this model, data is organised in two-dimesional tables called relations. The tables or relation
are related to each other.

The most popular data model in DBMS is the Relational Model. It is more scientific a model
than others. This model is based on first-order predicate logic and defines a table as an n-ary
relation.
 The main highlights of this model are −

 Data is stored in tables called relations.

 Relations can be normalized.

 In normalized relations, values saved are atomic values.

 Each row in a relation contains a unique value.

 Each column in a relation contains values from a same domain.

12. Compare network and hierarchical model.

Network Model Hierarchical Model

Supports many to many relationships. Supports one to many relationships.

It is based on records and links. It is based on tree like structure with one root.

More popular than Hierarchical Less popular

Network model is upgraded version of the The main application of hierarchical data model is

hierarchical model so used in the networks. in the mainframe database system

Data storage is in the form of arbitrary graphs. Data storage is in the form of data tree i.e. parent

child relationship
Uses links to relate data Uses pointers to relate data

It uses client server architecture. It does not uses client server architecture.

13. What is domain and entity

Domain: All permissible values of attributes is called as a domain.

Entity:An entity is a thing or object in the real world with an independent existence. An entity
may be an object with a physical existence.
Many-to-one − More than one entities from entity set A can be
associated with at most one entity of entity set B, however an entity from
entity set B can be associated with more than one entity from entity set
A.

Many-to-many − One entity from A can be associated with more than

one entity from B and vice versa.