ICT FOR SOCIAL

SCIENCES
MANAGING AND STORING
DATA

A Schematic Diagram of a Computer

CPU
Control
Control
Input
Input
devices
devices

Data

Main
Mainmemory
memory

Arithmetic
Arithmetic&&logic
logic
unit
unit

Secondary storage

Output
Output
devices
devices

Information

Primary v Secondary Storage

Primary Storage

Small capacity
Volatile

Secondary Storage

High capacity
Permanent

Processing Modes

Batch processing
A technique in which transactions are collected
into groups or batches to be processed at a
convenient time.

Transaction processing
A technique in which transactions are processed
in random order.

Storage Devices
Mass
Storage
Magnetic
Tape

Disk
Diskette

Hard

Optical

Cassette
Cassette

Cartridg
e

CD-ROM

WORM

Reel
Reelto
toreel
reel

Rewritable
Rewritable
CD-ROM
CD-ROM

DVD

Accessing Data

The process of retrieving data and programs

from storage.
Sequential

access

records retrieved in the same order in

which they are physically stored on
the medium
Direct

access / Random Access

records retrieved in any order

Processing a Sequential File

Unsorted
transactions
Sort
program
Brought forward
master file

Sorted
transactions
Update
program
Error &
control report

Updated
transactions

Carried
forward
master file

Transaction Processing
Random
Transactions

Update
program

Error &
control report

Master file

Measuring Storage
Capacities

kilobyte (Kb)

1 thousand bytes
(actually 1024)

megabyte (Mb)
gigabyte (Gb)
terabyte (Tb)

1 million
1 billion
1 trillion

Nine-Track Tape With Even

Parity
A B
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L M
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N O P
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EBCDIC Coding
(Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code)

Parity Bit
Zone
Bits
Numeric
Bits

Blocked Records
Logical records
Record Record Record
Record Record Record
Record
IBG
IBG
6
5
4
3
2
1
7

One physical record

or block

Helical Scan Recording

Helical scan or striping is a method of recording
higher bandwidth signals onto magnetic tape.
Used in numerous computer secondary storage
including video cassette recorder and digital audio
tape recorder.

Data stored in crisscrossing diagonal tracks

A Hard Disk Drive

A Disk Surface
Track
Concentric recording
areas
Sector
Pie-shaped
slice
Cluster
Part of a track
covering 2 or
more sectors

File AllocationTable

Each disk has a file allocation table (FAT)

containing:
file name
size
cluster at which the file begins

Organising Data on Disk

There are two method in organizing data on a
hard disk:
Cylinder Method
Sector Method

Organising Data on Disk (Contd)

The Cylinder Method

Used on disk packs

Data recorded on vertically aligned tracks
All tracks in the same position of each disk are
accessed at the same time with one movement of
the access arm mechanism

Organising Data on Disk (Contd)

The Sector Method

Also used on diskettes

each track is divided into sectors each of which hold a
specific number of characters.
Outer tracks of a sector are larger than the inner but hold
the same amount
Dividing disk into zones improves efficiency by assigning
more sectors to the outer tracks

Using Disks

Reading and Writing Data

moving arm across the tracks of a constantly

spinning disk (5,400 - 12,000 rpm)
*rpm = revolutions per minute (measure rotation speed)

Disk access time

latency
seek time (time taken to find the locate track
containing a piece of data on the disk)
rotational delay (half a rotation)

data movement (transfer) time

Disk cache

data from neighbouring areas fetched

Accessing a Record

Seek time
Position the read/write head to the track
containing the record.

Rotational delay
Wait for the sector containing the record to
reach the read head.

Transfer time
Input the sector containing the required
record to main memory.

Optical Storage

CD-ROM Compact Disk - Read Only Memory

High capacity (650Mb)

Cheap
Cannot be written to by user

WORM Write Once Read Many

CD-R standard
High capacity
Cheap
Can be written to once
Data secure

Optical Storage

Rewritable CD
can write and erase data any number of times
several different and incompatible types

DVD Digital Versatile Disk

allows very high capacity storage (4.7 Gb 17Gb)
currently read-only
used for films and games

Computer Performance

A computer performance is determined by a

number of factors
CPU

clock speed
motherboard architecture
bus speed
cache size
RAM size (if insufficient for a program virtual memory
is used)

Hard disk

data transfer speed (EIDE, SCSSI)

hard disk capacity

Modem speed
Graphics acceleration

DBMS
A

Database Management Systems (DBMS)

is a set of pre-written set of computer
instructions which is used to perform task
such as recording and filing data.

Database Concept

Address:
Address:
Taman
Taman
Kingfisher
Kingfisher

Database

File

Lot
LotNo:
No:
Price:
Price:

Record

Organisation of Data

Character

Field

a collection of related fields.

File

a set of related characters.

Record

a letter, number or special character.

a collection of related records.

Database

a collection of related files

Organisation of Data
File
File

record-1
record-1

record-2
record-2

field-1
field-1

field-2
field-2

field-1
field-1

field-2
field-2

abcd12%
abcd12%

abcd12%
abcd12%

abcd12%
abcd12%

abcd12%
abcd12%

Record Key

Primary Key

Field

459-21-0765 Burton

Paul

459-21-0767 Smith John

459-21-0772 Williams Mary
459-21-0801 Adams Robert
459-21-0806 Jones Philip

Secondary Key

459-21-0815 Calder Margaret

10 High Street
Aberdeen
Sales Department
10/04/65

How Records Are Stored in

DBMS?
Key
Field

Field

3418 John Smith

Field

Field

Field

Field

95 Holburn St Aberdeen AB11 5GH CS1502

Record 1

Choosing DBMS package

When choosing a DBMS software, factors that

should be consider are;
Flexibility
Level of complexity
Capacity
Automatic update
Supporting documentation (Manual)
Offer technical support and maintenance by supplier
Provide on-screen help
Provide specific process for different user

DBMS Package
DBMS Package
Access
SQL Server
Oracle
dBase III, IV, V
Paradox
Sybase
Delta
Smart data manager

Company
Microsoft
Microsoft
Oracle Corporation
Ashton Tate
Ansa
Sybase Inc.
Compsoft
Blyth software Ltd.

Traditional Vs DBMS
File management:
INVESTMENT

MARKETING
MANAGEMENT

application
software

FILE(S)

application
software

FILE(S)

application
software

FILE(S)

Traditional Vs DBMS (Contd)

DBMS:
INVESTMENT
MARKETING

PROGRAMS

MANAGEMENT

FILE(S):DATABASE

What operations can a DBMS

carry out?
The following operations can be carried out in DBMS:
Data definition: Describe the contents of the database.
It is used to describe, for example, attribute names (field
names), data types, location in the database, etc.
Data entry and update: Provide sorting, add, deleting
and selecting records.
Data manipulation: Manipulate data using commands
for input, edit, analysis, output, reformatting, etc. Some
degree of standardization has been achieved with SQL
(Structured Query Language).
Information output: Present the output in a form of
Table or attractive graphic user interface (GUI) and in
printed hardcopy paper.

Relational DBMS

A relational database is composed of many

tables in which data are stored, but a relational
database involves more than just the use of
tables.
A database query language acts as an interface
between users and a relational database
management system.

Relational DBMS

Have the ability to carry out operations such as:

Selection: Retrieve all rows that satisfy a given
condition.
Projection: Retrieve a vertical subset from all rows.
Duplicate rows may or may not be suppressed in
the new relation
Join: Combines rows from two relations based on
two attributes (one in each relation) with a common
domain

Selection Example
Select Name = Andy
Name

Rent

Andy

500

Hamid

700

Siva

300

Select Rent < 500

Name

Rent

Andy

500

Name

Rent

Siva

300

Projection Example

Projection Name,
Address

Name Address

Rent

Name Address

Malik

Tuaran

500

Malik

Tuaran

Malik

Tuaran

700

Siva

Inanam

Siva

Inanam

300

Join Example
Table A
Name

Rent

Andy

500

Hamid

700

Siva

300

Table B
Name Address
Andy

Kepayan

Siva

Likas

Join Table A,
Table B

Name Address

Rent

Andy

Kepayan

500

Siva

Likas

300

DBMS Advantages
DBMS offer the following advantages in file
management system:
Data redundancy is reduced or eliminated
Data integrity is improved
Data independence is achieved
Data sharing is improved
Data control is increased

DBMS Disadvantages
Highly

complex
Expensive
Can Create Massive Damage
Vulnerable to hardware or software failure