Database Systems: A Pragmatic Approach

Database Systems: A Pragmatic Approach provides a comprehensive, yet concise introduction to database systems. It discusses the database as an essential component of a software system, as well as a valuable, mission critical corporate resource. The book is based on lecture notes that have been tested and proven over several years, with outstanding results. It also exemplifies mastery of the technique of combining and balancing theory with practice, to give students their best chance at success. Upholding his aim for brevity, comprehensive coverage, and relevance, author Elvis C. Foster's practical and methodical discussion style gets straight to the salient issues, and avoids unnecessary fluff as well as an overkill of theoretical calculations.

The book discusses concepts, principles, design, implementation, and management issues of databases. Each chapter is organized systematically into brief, reader-friendly sections, with itemization of the important points to be remembered. It adopts a methodical and pragmatic approach to solving database systems problems. Diagrams and illustrations also sum up the salient points to enhance learning. Additionally, the book includes a number of Foster's original methodologies that add clarity and creativity to the database modeling and design experience while making a novel contribution to the discipline. Everything combines to make Database Systems: A Pragmatic Approach an excellent textbook for students, and an excellent resource on theory for the practitioner.

What you’ll learn

Learn the relational model and the advantages it brings to software systems
Design database schemas with integrity rules that ensure correctness of corporate data
Query data using SQL in order to generate reports, charts, graphs, and other business results
Learn what it means to be a database administrator, and why the profession is highly paid
Become familiar with the common database brands, their similarities and distinctives
Explore special topics such as tree-based data, hashing for fast access, distributed and object databases, and more

Who this book is for

Database Systems: A Pragmatic Approach is aimed at database administrators desiring to increase their mastery of the theoretical underpinnings of their craft. The book is also aimed at students, and at professors needing a textbook for use by students, who are studying database technology, who aspire to a career as a database administrator or designer.

Table of Contents

Part I: Preliminary Topics

1. Introduction to Database Systems

2. The Database System Environment

Part II: The Relational Database Model

3. The Relational Model

4. Integrity Rules and Normalization

5. Database Modeling and Design

6. Database User Interface Design

7. Relational Algebra

8. Relational Calculus

9. Relational System a Closer Look