BASIC TERMINOLOGIES OF DATABASES

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FIXED LENGTH FIELD VARIABLE LENGTH FIELD
A Fixed-length field contains predefined number of characters (bytes). A variable-length field does not contain predefined
The data entered in fixed-length field cannot allocated length of the number of characters (bytes).
field. It occupies the space according to the data entered
If the data entered is fixed-length field is smaller than field length, the by the user.
remaining space will be empty. The variable-length field does not contain any extra
It results in the wastage of storage space. blank spaces.
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DATA HANDLING IN FILE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The file management system uses files to store and retrieve data.
The files contain records that consist of related fields.
The record layouts are properly defined in file management system.
A field in the record can be fixed length or variable-length,
Each field in the record corresponds to a starting memory address.
The starting address of each field and its length is used to identify its storage location.
The field name is used as a name reference to store and retrieve data.
It refers to the corresponding memory address for a specific field.
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HOW RELATIONS ARE FORMED UP IN DBMS?
RELATION
A table or relation is used to store information about an entity.
An entity is anything about which information is stored in the database.
An entity may have many attributes with unique names.
Each attribute must have one and only one value.
FORMING A RELATION
The relations are used to store information about an entity.
They are formed according to the attributes of the entity about which the information is to be stored.
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PROPERTIES OF RELATIONS

A table should not have two identical rows.

It must have at least one column or set of columns to uniquely identify each row in
NO DUPLICATE ROWS EXIST
the table.
Such column or set of columns is called primary key.
The position of a row in a relation is insignificant.
THE ORDER OF ROWS IS
A row is not identified by its location in the relation.
INSIGNIFICANT
The rows can be retrieved in any order.
The position of a column in a relation is insignificant.
THE ORDER OF COLUMNS IS A column is not identified by its location in the relation.
INSIGNIFICANT It is referenced by its name.
The columns can be retrieved in any order.
An entry at the intersection of each row and column is atomic.
COLUMNS / ATTRIBUTES ARE
A value that cannot be divided further is called atomic value.
ALL ELEMENTAL OR ATOMIC
It means that there can be only one value in each attribute of a specific row.
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VIEW
A view is a virtual table that displays the data from one or more tables.
It is created by using a SQL query.
PURPOSE OF USING VIEWS
The basic purpose of using view is to keep the data safe and secure.
The user can specify the records to be displayed in a view.
The view displays the data according to the user requirements.
It keeps the actual data in the table safe from accidental deletion or modification.
It also provides more flexibility in displaying data from the tables.
CREATING VIEWS
CREATE VIEW STUDENT_VIEW AS
SELECT ROLLNO, NAME
FROM STUDENT
WHERE GENDER = “M”;
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 A key is an attribute or set of attributes that uniquely identifies a tuple in a relation.
KEY The keys are defined in relations to access the stored data quickly and efficiently.
They are also used to create relationship between different relations.
An attribute or set of attributes that uniquely identifies a row or record in a relation.
Some important points about a primary key are as follows:
PRIMARY KEY  A relation can have only one primary key.
 Each value in primary key attribute must be unique.
 Primary key cannot contain null values.
COMPOSITE KEY A primary key that consists of two or more attributes is known as composite key.
A relation may contain many attribute or set of attributes that can be used as primary key.
CANDIDATE KEY
The attribute or set of attributes that can be used as primary key is called candidate key.
ALTERNATE KEY The candidate keys that are not selected as primary key are known as alternate keys.
A foreign key is an attribute or set of attributes in a relation whose values match a primary key in
another relation.
The relation in which foreign key is created is known as dependent relation or child relation.
FOREIGN KEY
The relation to which the foreign key refers as parent relation.
The key connects to another relation when a relationship is established between two relations.
A relation may contain many foreign keys.
A secondary key is an attribute or combination of attributes that can be used to access or retrieve
records.
Secondary key values may not be unique.
SECONDARY KEY
One secondary key value may refer to many records.
EXAMPLE:
An attribute City in Student relation can be used to display all students who live in specific city.
An attribute or set of attributes that is used to physically sequence the stored data is called sort key.
SORT / CONTROL
It is also known as control key.
KEY
The stored data can be sorted in different ways according to the user requirement.
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INDEX
An index is a data structure that is used by DBMS to locate a particular record in a file more quickly.
Indexes are used to speed up the sorting and searching process.
Some indexes are created automatically in the related tables when relationships are defined.
The performance of database is improved with these indexes.
The index may be created on primary key, secondary key and foreign key etc.
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End Users are the persons who directly interact with database system.
They use database application without technical knowledge of databases.
END USER End Users interact with the databases through an interface.
They do not write any programs.
The end user must have the knowledge of the installed software to be used.
A data administrator is a person who is responsible for entire data of an organization.
He normally develops overall functional requirements for database used in the
organization.
He controls and manages the whole database system.
He establishes data standards and supervises the data distribution in the organization.
DATA ADMINISTRATOR
He also communicates with the user when needed.
He should participate in developing data dictionary and preparing documentation.
He conducts user training when required.
He authorizes access to the database.
He coordinates and monitors the use of database.
A database administrator is an important person in development of any database
system.
He is responsible for the design, implementation, operation, management and
maintenance database.
He must be technically competent and a good manager.
DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR He should have good communication skills.
Managerial skills are important in planning, coordinating and carrying out different
tasks.
Technical skills are required to understand the complexity of hardware and software.
Diplomatic skills are important in communicating with users and determining their
needs etc.
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 TASKS / RESPONSIBILITIES PERFORMED BY DBA
Following are the responsibilities of Database Administrator:-
 Installation of database software
 Monitoring of database system
 Solution of any problem that occurs in the database system.
 Assigning permission to different users to use database system.
 Taking regular backups of database.
 Restoring the system in case of any problem or system crash.
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DATA MANIPULATION IN DBMS
Data manipulation in DBMS is different from data manipulation in file system.
DBMS manipulate data as follows:-
 It stores and manipulates data in tables or relations.
 DBMS may consist of one or many relations. The relations in RDBMS are connected through different types of
relationships.
 DBMS uses index to search the required data quickly and efficiently.
 DBMS usually uses structure query language (SQL) to perform different operations in the data.
 DBMS provides the facility to insert new data in database.
 DBMS provides the facility to modify existing data in database.
 DBMS provides the facility to retrieve existing data from database.
 DBMS provides the facilities to delete existing data from database.
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