DBM/380 WEEK 1

Everything listed for this week is included in purchase!

Individual: Database Recommendation

Includes: Option #1

Includes: Option #2

The first and most important database-related decisions are whether to use a database at all and, if so, which database management system to use and why. Today there are dozens of database management systems available; however, some are better suited to specific business environments and applications than others.
For this assignment, you will analyze a business scenario, compare the pros and cons of different database models and products, and recommend a specific product to meet the needs of the business scenario. You will provide the rationale for your recommendation in terms of the suitability and business benefit.
Download and read the Brewster Business Scenario document.
Write a 2-page high-level, non-technical recommendation to present to the Brewster CEO.
In your recommendation:
• Analyze the company's current system.
• Describe the problems and challenges associated with the current system.
• Explain the business benefit of moving from the current system to a single, shared

   database.
• Compare and contrast at least four different database models, including the relational

   database model, in the context of the company's business environment.
• Suggest a specific RDBMS solution you believe would be most appropriate for the

    company.
• List the benefits the company could expect to gain from implementing the

   recommended RDBMS.
Cite at least two references.
Format citations using APA format.
Submit your assignment.

Supporting Activity Questions (Included)

NOTE: Class questions change depending on which Instructor you have, so these questions below may not match exactly.

Discussion Question: Why Relational Databases Make Sense for Big Data
Read "Big Data and RDBMS: Can They Coexist?" from Information Week. Note: This article introduces the concept of big data and discusses the types of database models that can be used to implement extremely large amounts of data. It also points out some important benefits of using a relational database management system (RDBMS).

Discussion Question: What is a Database Model?
Read "What is a Database Model?" from Lucidchart. Note: This article describes several different database models, including the hierarchical, network, object-oriented, NoSQL, and relational database models. Using simple diagrams to show how the data in these different database models are organized, this article explains the data scenarios for which each database model is best suited.

Discussion Question: Understanding Data Storage Models
Watch the section "Understanding Data Storage Models" of the Lynda.com® course "Database Foundations: Core Concepts" with Adam Wilbert.

Discussion Question: : Big Data: The Next New Thing?

Research and discuss some other vendors with this technology. How does the NoSQL model used in big data compare to the relational model? What types of businesses might benefit from using NoSQL?

DBM/380 WEEK 2

Everything listed for this week is included in purchase!

Individual: Normalized Database Design Assignment

Includes Assignment and MS Visio ERD Diagram (fully editable!)

A relational database must be designed and normalized before it can be created, populated with data, and used. Database design depends on the business scenario(s) a database architect needs to model, but all relational database designs benefit from being normalized.
Download and follow the instructions on the Normalized Database Design document.
Note: For this assignment, you will be given a business scenario. If you make changes during the normalization process (and usually this is the case) you will update your ERD to reflect the changes. Later in this course, you will be asked to implement the ERD from this week.
Submit your ERD and your normalized database design.

Week 2 Discussion Questions (Included)

NOTE: Class DQ questions change depending on which Instructor you have, so these questions below may not match exactly.

Supporting Activity: Null Value

Think of a situation where null value should be allowed and a situation where it should not be allowed. What are the consequences of inappropriate null settings?

Supporting Activity: Many-To-Many Relationship

What are some issues when working with a many-to-many relationship? Provide some examples. 

Supporting Activity: Database Designer

How must a database designer balance the time to complete data modeling steps with the benefits the data modeling process offers in creating a database? Consider examples from your work place and class assignments

Supporting Activity: Data Types

Why it is necessary to choose appropriate data types for each data column?

DBM/380 Week 3

Everything listed for this week is included in purchase!

Individual: Create and Populate a Database
Instructions:
Resources: "SQL CREATE DATABASE Statement," "SQL CREATE TABLE Statement," "SQL PRIMARY KEY Constraint," "SQL FOREIGN KEY Constraint," and "SQL INSERT INTO Statement"

For this assignment, you will create the database you designed in Week 2.
Download the Create a Database document and follow the instructions.
Submit the database containing all the tables you created or a Microsoft Word file containing all the SQL statements used.

Included Week 3 Supporting Activity Questions

NOTE: Class DQ questions change depending on which Instructor you have, so these questions below may not match exactly.

Supporting Activity: DBMS and Data Mining

A motor vehicle maintenance center wants to improve its services by using database management systems (DBMS) and data mining. What tables are needed in such a database and how can it help improve their services?

Supporting Activity: Cardinality Constraints

What are four types of cardinality constraints? Provide personal examples of each.

Supporting Activity: Primary Key

How do you select the primary key from the candidate keys? How do foreign keys relate to candidate keys? Provide examples from either your workplace or class assignments.

Supporting Activity: Overall Design

Under what circumstances would you break down an overall design to include individual user views? Provide examples from either your workplace or class assignments.

DBM/380 Week 4

Everything listed for this week is included in purchase!

Individual: Select and Update Data in Related Tables
Includes Option #1

Includes Option #2
Running reports on existing data and updating data records are very common tasks in the industry.
For this assignment, you will begin with a database containing several pre-populated tables.
Download and unzip the Microsoft® Access® database (ZIP file) available on the Cengage's website. (You may need to convert the database depending on the version of Microsoft Access you are using. To convert the database, follow Microsoft's Convert a Database to the .accdb File Format instructions.)
Open the database in Microsoft® Access® and explore the tables it contains by following this path:
/folderYouNameWhenYouUnzip/1305627482_526407/Student/Ch07- Intro-to-SQL/Databases/Ch07_SaleCo.mdb
Note: If you have chosen not to use Microsoft® Access® in this course, you will need to download the SQL statements for MySQL, Oracle®, or SQLserver and run those statements against your RDBMS to create a populated database.
Download the Select and Update Data in Related Tables document and follow the instructions.
Your completed assignment will consist of one document and two screenshots placed in one document (one screenshot showing the results of the "before" SELECT statement and a second showing the results of the "after" SELECT statement).
Submit your assignment.

Week 4 Supporting Activity Questions

NOTE: Class questions change depending on which Instructor you have, so these questions below may not match exactly.

Supporting Activity: Normalization Process

In your own words, describe the nature and purpose of the normalization process. Provide some examples from sources other than the readings

upporting Activity: Disadvantage of Normalizing

Discuss the disadvantages of normalizing a database to a high degree of normalization. Should there be a definite rule on when to stop normalizing? Provide some examples from sources other than the readings.

Supporting Activity: Denormalization

In what business database environments is denormalization appropriate and why? What would denormalization specifically involve?

DBM/380 Week 5

Everything listed for this week is included in purchase!

Individual: Database Administrator

Includes Option #1

Includes Option #2

Imagine that you have the educational background, skills, and abilities to be a database administrator. The XYZ company recently announced a vacancy for a database administrator position, and you are very interested because XYZ is known as a high-paying employer that is enjoyable to work for. Because a security breach at XYZ recently made the news, XYZ's job posting has requested all applicants to include in
their cover letter a brief description of how he or she would approach data security if awarded the position.
Research the qualifications necessary to obtain a database administrator position.
Read "Cover Letter Workshop - Formatting and Organization" from Purdue Online Writing Lab.
Write a 1- to 2-page cover letter briefly describing your (fictional) database administrator-related qualifications and outlining the reasons you believe you are the best candidate for the job. Your cover letter must include:
• A description of your education and database-related work experience
• Note: this description will likely not match your own actual education and experience.

   You will need to research and include the education and work experience appropriate

    to a successful candidate for a database administrator position unless your own

    personal background qualifies you for a database administrator position
• Your philosophy and approach to backing up relational data
• Your philosophy and several approaches to securing relational data and a rationale for

    each approach
• Address your cover letter to Mr. Ben Smith, Director of Human Resources.
Submit your cover letter.

Week 5 Supporting Activity Questions

NOTE: Class questions change depending on which Instructor you have, so these questions below may not match exactly.

Supporting Activity: Database Administrator and Architect

Describe the differences between a database administrator and a database architect. How is your organization structured to handle the functions of these roles?

Supporting Activity: Database Service

Locate a hosted, distributed database service. Explore its features and talk about your experiences. In what situations would an organization consider using it?

Supporting Activity: DBMS

Describe the advantages and disadvantages of DBMS-provided security. Compare it to network or application security. 

Supporting Activity: Database Recovery Process

Suppose that the database system within your organization has failed. Describe the database recovery process.