NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY

MODULE DESCRIPTOR

CG171 - Database Implementation and Development
     For Academic Year 2003

Synopsis of Module:
A brief overview of aims, contents, methods and assessment

The unit builds on the student's understanding of relational databases ( i.e. relational model, data modelling, logical database design, SQL) and extends it with conceptual as well as practical techniques like the fundamental and underlying principles of database implementation, physical database design, and programming and development. The student will be equipped with both design and implementation skills to formulate practical solutions to real world information system problems, based on databases.The unit is delivered by means of lectures and seminar/practical sessions, and is assessed through examination and group-based assignment. The assignment will assess the students' ability to evaluate design alternatives, formulate physical design, implement the physical design, and program connectivity and data manipulation using programming languages and SQL procedural extensions. The exam will assess the students understanding of the principles, techniques, and skills learnt and obtained in lectures and practical seminars.

Prerequisite(s):
Any Module which must already have been taken at a lower level, or any stipulated level of prior knowledge required.

CG084/CG085 Relational Databases Theory and Practice

Corequisite(s):
Module at the same level which must taken with this Module.

None

Implications for Choice:
Possible follow-on Modules, or exclusions, or Modules which require this one as a prerequisite.

CM036 Advanced Databases

Aims of Module:
Specified in terms of general aim of the teaching in its relation to the subject.

· To provide essentials of database system implementation.
· To develop students' ability in designing and implementing physical database structures.
· To extend students' ability in developing information systems based on databases.

Learning Outcomes:
Specified in terms of performance capability to be shown on completion of the Module.

On completion of this unit the students should be able to:
· Explain and discuss the fundamentals of a database system implementation.
· Transform a logical database design into a physical one for a target DBMS.
· Evaluate effects of physical design decisions on performance and complexity of a database.
Connect to a database and manipulate the data using a programming language (e.g. Java, C++, VB) and procedural extensions to SQL (e.g. PL/SQL, Informix 4GL)

Outline Syllabus:
The content of the Module, identified in a component listing.

· Introduction (10 %)
o Database Design Vs. Information System Design
o Database Design Methodologies and CASE tools

· Physical Database Implementation Fundamentals (30 %)
o Memory structure
o Data placement
o Composite Data typeso Access methods
o Materialized queries

· Physical Database Design (30 %)
o Relationalo Object-Relational
o Object-Oriented

· Database Programming and Development (30 %)
o External programming of composite data structures
o Programming stored procedures, classes, and packages
o Creating and maintaining physical database structures

Learning, Teaching And Assessment Strategy:

Teaching and learning will take the form of a series of lectures supported by practical and seminar sessions. Students will be expected to undertake a programme of directed and independent study to support the taught sessions. The seminars and practical sessions (50% each) will be used to explain, discuss and explore the concepts and techniques introduced in lectures. Design and Implementation alternatives and issues will be addressed using case studies and scenarios. The seminars will draw upon the students’ studies and directed learning. The students will be given problems from the real world scenarios to exercise the theories and techniques introduced in lectures. The problem-based approach will enhance students learning and understanding of the concepts and techniques, which will in due course add to their skills of designing and developing efficient solutions.As the unit combines various design, implementation, and development topics, the students are assessed through an assignment and class test. Since design and development tasks in the context of databases generally require teamwork, a group-based assignment (up to 4 students per group) is considered to assess the students' ability to formulate solutions to real world problems. The assignment marks will be based on the performance of a group and individual students (50% each). It is expected that the students would learn from sharing knowledge and skills through group work, which will eventually boost the students' individual performance. The examination will be objective type test (OMR markable), designed to assess the students understanding of both design principles, physical database implementation fundamentals.

Distance Learning Delivery:

None

Indicative Reading List or Other Learning Resources:
(Note: all references to be given as per Harvard System)

· Connoly, T and Begg, C. “Database Systems”” 3rd ed. Pearson, 2002 (Main Text).

· Ramakrishnan/Gehrke, ‘Database Management Systems’, McGraw Hill, 2nd Edition, 2000.

Robert J. Muller. Database Design for Smarties using UML for Data Modeling. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, 1999.

· Oracle Concepts, Oracle Corporation.·

Oracle Application Developer's Guide, Oracle Corporation.·

Oracle Java Documentation, Oracle Corporation.