What are the six major steps for creating a database for an enterprise?

Answer 1

Requirement Analysis

• The purpose of requirement analysis is to document what database users need or want to be able to do with the database. Requirement analysis typically involves talking to people currently involved with the data and analyzing usage characteristics such as information flow and type and frequency of transactions. The goal is to convert an informal description of requirements into a formal specification, which will become the basis of the database design.

Conceptual Design

• Conceptual design consists of two separate but parallel activities. Schema design produces a conceptual schema, or organizational framework, for the database, independent of the DBMS to be used. The purpose of conceptual design is to produce a high-level data model that can be understood by everyone, including non-technical users. Transaction design produces high-level specifications for the transactions identified during requirement analysis. The importance and frequency of transactions influences physical database design.

DBMS Selection

• The purpose of choosing a DBMS is to establish which framework is best, technically, economically and organizationally, for implementing the database. A DBMS must support the query languages, user and programmer interfaces and hardware platforms required, while still being economical in terms of hardware, software and staff-training costs.

Logical Design

• Logical design, also known as data model mapping, involves converting the conceptual schema into a data model for the chosen DBMS. One DBMS may implement the same data model differently from another, so the end product of logical design is a set of data definition language commands in the language of the chosen DBMS.

Physical Design

• Physical design involves choosing the specific storage structure of database files -- flat files, heaps, B+ trees, ISAM -- and the way in which those files are accessed. The emphasis of physical design is typically on database performance, such that data items referenced by frequently used transactions are retrieved from the database as quickly as possible.

Implementation

• The purpose of implementation is to physically create and populate the database so that it can be used. The implementation phase involves compiling and executing data definition language commands to create the database, automatically or manually populating the database -- data may need to be converted from a existing format -- and implementing applications programs, so that users can access and manipulate the data in a controlled way.

Answer 2

1. Determine the purpose of the database - This helps prepare for the remaining steps.
2. Find and organize the information required - Gather all of the types of information to record in the database, such as product name and order number.
3. Divide the information into tables - Divide information items into major entities or subjects, such as Products or Orders. Each subject then becomes a table.
4. Turn information items into columns - Decide what information needs to stored in each table. Each item becomes a field, and is displayed as a column in the table. For example, an Employees table might include fields such as Last Name and Hire Date.
5. Specify primary keys - Choose each table's primary key. The primary key is a column that is used to uniquely identify each row. An example might be Product ID or Order ID.
6. Set up the table relationships - Look at each table and decide how the data in one table is related to the data in other tables. Add fields to tables or create new tables to clarify the relationships, as necessary.
7. Refine the design - Analyze the design for errors. Create tables and add a few records of sample data. Check if results come from the tables as expected. Make adjustments to the design, as needed.
8. Apply normalization- Apply the data normalization rules to see if tables are structured correctly. Make adjustments to the tables

Answer 3

There are actually seven stages for designing a relational database. They are:

1) Formulate an idea for a solution

2) Gather information and clarify needs

3) Develop a list of all useful fields

4) Organize the fields into logical tables

5) Determine and define table relationships

6) Test, refine and improve

7) Develop queries, forms, and reports

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Answer 4

To identify the use of the finished database.

Answer 5

The first and most important step in designing a database is creating a schema. After creating schema tables are created and data is entered in to the tables.