Database 1
The Database Design Process There are three major stages in database design, each producing a progressively lower level description: Requirements analysis First, we determine and write down what exactly t he database is needed for, what data will be stored, and how the data items relate t o each other. In practice, this might involve detailed study of the application req uirements and talking to people in various roles that will interact with the database and application. Conceptual design Once we know what the database requirements are , we distill them into a formal description of the database design . Logical design Finally, we map the database design onto an actual database manage ment system and database tables. The Entity Relationship Model At a basic level, databases store information about distinct objects, or entities , and the associations, or relationships , between these entities. For ex...