Unit 1: Introduction to Modern Database Systems
Different databases serve different purposes; each one is dependent upon both deployment environment and different types of user interactions. In this unit, we will ask a number of questions pertaining to databases: What are some database environments and user types? How can the database management system ensure control over data integrity, avoid data redundancy, and secure data, while at the same allowing interactions with different user types? In answering these questions, we will identify and determine the characteristics of databases, their many deployment environments, and the different categories of users that interact with it.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 3 hours.
1.1: Databases: Definition and Characteristics
Read sections 1-3. You do not need to download the MSAccess sample database and you can ignore the Access tutorials since we will use MySQL in this course.
Read Chapter 2 on pages 6-8. Complete the short exercises on page 8.
Read Chapter 1 on pages 1-19. The text references figures and images that can be found in the appendix.
1.2: Database Usage and Environment
1.2.1: Data and Databases
Read this section on the variety of types and function of databases.
1.2.2: The Integrated Database Environment
Read this article.
Watch this video.
Read the section on people.