Week 2 Post DEFINITION A relational database is a program that can

Week 2 Post

DEFINITION

A relational database is a program that can store all of the data about something and explain how it is connected. All of the information in a relational database is structured out so that you can see how each independent entity relates to another and what type of relationship it has with the other entities. In the enterprise, relational databases are used to organize data and identify relationships between key data points. They make it easy to sort and find information, which helps organizations make business decisions more efficiently and minimize costs (Lutkevich and Biscobing).

DESIGN

It can be tough to construct a database, which is why you need have a solid plan in place to ensure that the database is created correctly and without errors. A database is built by a team of people that specialize in creating databases for businesses. They collaborate and use the company’s information to build the appropriate database that will aid the company’s efficiency. The database designer will first need information about the business. For example, a school that provides instruction to students will want a database that holds information about the students, the classes they are in, and the teachers who are going to be teaching the courses. They will be able to identify the business rules once they have laid this foundation. “Business rules describe, in simple language, the main and distinguishing characteristics of the data as viewed by the company” (Coronel and Morris, 38). Business rules are utilized to determine which entities and attributes will be required for the database.

PURPOSE

Because they are simple to use, a relational database is utilized instead of another data model. The data is in rows, whereas the fields are in columns. It is also simple to comprehend the information in the tables. A relational database is also flexible. Information is kept in the database, and it is necessary to link the tables. As a result, manipulating the tables is simple. Relational algebra and calculus are employed in the extraction of data from the database. As a result, there is no ambiguity. It is safe to use a relational database. Control and authorization can be readily applied in relational databases by moving sensitive attributes around. A relational database’s tables are normalized, resulting in less intricate data than hierarchical data models. The data is manipulated using the SQL data manipulation language, which is a fifth-generation language that is easy to comprehend.

References

Lutkevich, Ben, and Jacqueline Biscobing. “What Is a Relational Database?” SearchDataManagement, TechTarget, 24 June 2021, https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatamanagement/definition/relational-database.