Database

Database

1. Analysis

   • End User Requirements
     • The tasks that the users expect to be able to do with the database.
   • Functional Requirements
     • The processes and activities that the system s to perform and the information that the sytem has to contain to carry out it's functions.
   • These requirements help clarify the design of the database, identify the fetures that need to be implemented into the database and to evaluate whether the system is fit for purpose after the development is complete.

2. Design

   • Entities
     • An Entity is a person, place, thing, event or concept of interest to the business or orginaisation about which data is to be stored.
       • An Entity Occurrence is a specific example of an entity (also called an Instance).
   • Attributes
     • An entity is described by it's attributes. Each attribute is a characteristic of the entity.
   • Keys
     • Primary Keys
       • A primary key is an attribute or combination of attributes that uniquely identifies one, and only one, entity occurrence.
     • Foreign Keys
       • A foreign key is an attribute in one table that uniquely identifies a row of another table. It is signified by an asterisk in the entity-relationship diagram.