CIS 111

Week 3 Discussion

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"Entity Relationship Modeling"  Please respond to the following:

• As explained throughout this course, entity relationship modeling is a critical element of database design. If the database is not properly modeled, it is unlikely that the database will be properly developed. Using this knowledge, explain the key reasons why entity relationship modeling is important, and determine at least (1) way in which it impacts the overall development of the database.
• Analyze the key ways that entity relationship modeling helps database developers overcome potential design challenges and conflicting goals.
• For the database that you described in the Week 1 and Week 2 discussions, determine the major / minor challenges that might exist when you are creating an entity relationship diagram (ERD) for the business function / operation.

Week 4 Discussion

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"Normalization and Redundancy"  Please respond to the following:

• Suggest one (1) of the problems that normalization seeks to solve within a database. Describe one (1) example of your suggested problem, and explain the overall benefit that normalization would provide. (Note: Your example can be hypothetical.)
• Identify the key determinants that could affect the degree of normalization of a database. Justify your response. Next, identify the aspects of the database design that can be denormalized. Explain the key ways in which the business rules support the degree of normalization and the elements that can be denormalized.

Week 5 Discussion

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"Database Design and Implementation"  Please respond to the following:

• Now that you have learned the concepts of database models and you have practiced creating entity relationship diagrams, let us focus on the implementation of that design into a Database Management System (DBMS).
  • Based on the example of the business function / operation that you described within the Weeks 1-3 discussions, describe the queries that you would need to create in order to support the business function / operation in question.
  • Based on the database model described in the Week 2 and Week 3 discussions for your business function / operation, determine the major / minor issues that might arise when creating these queries.

Lab 1: Creating a Database Design 

Due Week 3 and worth 75 points

This assignment contains two (2) Sections: Database Design and Design Summary. You must submit both sections as separate files in order to complete this assignment. 

If you are using Visio, see “Appendix A: Designing Databases with Visio Professional 2010: A Tutorial” to help you complete Section 1: Visio Database Design. (Note: This tutorial focuses on the use of Microsoft Visio. Open source applications are not covered in Appendix A; however, using open source applications or even pen and paper within labs is permitted.)

Use the scenario from Assignment 1: Business Rules and Data Models to complete the lab:

Business Rules and Data Models to complete the lab:Suppose a local college has tasked you to develop a database that will keep track of students and the courses that they have taken. In addition to tracking the students and courses, the client wants the database to keep track of the instructors teaching each of the courses.

Section 1: Database Design Diagram (Using Microsoft Visio is optional; you may also use any other application you know or even draw the diagram with pen and paper and take a picture of it for submission.)

1. Create a database diagram with the entities and attributes that the scenario identified (i.e., a college tracking students, courses, and instructors).
2. Submit your diagram.

Section 2: Design Summary (Microsoft Word or equivalent)

3. Write a one (1) page paper in which you:

1. 1. Discuss the degree to which you believe your diagram reflects the database design.  

Section 2 of your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Submit the design summary as a Microsoft Word file.
• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Describe the role of databases and database management systems in managing organizational data and information. 
• Compose conceptual data modeling techniques to capture the information requirements.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in database systems.
• Write clearly and concisely about relational database management systems using proper writing mechanics and technical style conventions.

Lab 2: Modifying a Database Design  

Due Week 4 and worth 75 points

This assignment contains two (2) Sections: Modified Diagram and Design Summary. You must submit both sections as separate files in order to complete this assignment. 

If you’re using Visio, see “Appendix A: Designing Databases with Visio Professional 2010: A Tutorial” to help you complete Section 1: Modified Visio Database Design. (Note: This tutorial focuses on the use of Microsoft Visio. Open source applications are not covered in Appendix A. However, using open source applications or even pen and paper within labs is permitted.)

After reviewing your database design from Lab 1: Creating a Database Design, the college has provided more information for the database that they want developed:

• For each student, the college needs to track the student  ID, student names, addresses, start date, phone numbers and types (such as mobile, home, work), email addresses and types (such as personal, school, work), gender, and birth date.
• For each course, the college needs to track the course ID, course name, department, quarters offered, sections, and instructor teaching each course.
• For each instructor, the college needs to track the instructor ID, name, address, phone numbers and types (such as mobile, home, work), email addresses and types (such as personal, school, work), gender, birth date, and the courses that each instructor is qualified to teach.
• Additionally, the college needs to track the final grades for each student after each course has completed.

Section 1: Modified Diagram (Using Microsoft Visio is optional; you may also use any other application you know or even modify the diagram with pen and paper and take a picture of it for submission.)

1. Use the application or pen and paper to:
   1. Modify the database diagram from Lab 1 with the entities and attributes that the scenario identified (i.e., a college tracking students, courses, and instructors).  
   2. Create the appropriate relationships between each entity within the diagram.

2. Submit your modified diagram.

Section 2: Design Summary (Microsoft Word or equivalent)

3. Write a one to two (1-2) page paper in which you:

1. Discuss the degree to which you believe your diagram reflects the database design.  
2. Describe any assumptions that you had to make about the business rules to in order to create the diagram and the associated relationships.

Section 2 of your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Submit the design summary as a Microsoft Word file.Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Describe the role of databases and database management systems in managing organizational data and information. 
• Recognize the historical development of database management systems and logical data models. 
• Compose conceptual data modeling techniques to capture the information requirements.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in database systems.
• Write clearly and concisely about relational database management systems using proper writing mechanics and technical style conventions.

Lab 3: XAMPP and MySQL Setup

Due Week 5 and worth 75 points

• Install XAMPP and MySQL and take a screen shot that shows the MySQL prompt on your screen. (Note: You must include the screen shot which shows that MySQL is installed on your computer as part of your assignment.) 
• Research the capabilities of MySQL.

Write a one to two (1-2) page paper in which you:

1. Describe your experiences related to your setup of MySQL. Include any difficulties or issues that you had encountered during the installation.
2. Based on your post-installation research, describe the main capabilities of MySQL.
3. Describe the approach that you would take to go from a conceptual or logical model that you created to the implementation of that database structure in MySQL. Determine the additional information that you will need to implement the database design in a database management system.
4. Include the screen shot which shows that MySQL is installed on your computer.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. 

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Describe the role of databases and database management systems in managing organizational data and information. 
• Recognize the historical development of database management systems and logical data models. 
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in database systems.
• Write clearly and concisely about relational database management systems using proper writing mechanics and technical style conventions.