Title: Assignment 2 - File System vs. Database
Course: KVCC BUS210 > Section: Assignments

In the discussion of the first chapter, we have been talking about databases and how they vary from that of a file system or spreadsheet. As part of these classes, we have been describing how important it is to design a database from the beginning with a very solid understanding of how databases should be structured. What I want you to begin is the process of examining data systems that you have used or currently use. This examination will be useful because it will allow you to begin the breakdown of what you personally consider good and bad database systems and this will allow you to establish a foundation for your project.

1.      In the first assignment, you started to examine how you use databases in three aspects of your lives. You are going to extend this and start to quantify areas of their usage.

2.      Why do you think it is important to understand how to design a database and separate this from the file system and spreadsheet format?

3.      In class, we have discussed file systems and how they are problematic in comparison to databases. Think on a storage file system that you have used in the past (It does not have to have been negative).

a.           Describe the system based on the five components

i.     Hardware

ii.     Software

iii.     People

iv.     Procedures

v.     Data

b.           How effective was it overall? Why?

c.           What were some of the benefits of this system?

d.           What were the downsides?

e.           How did you analyze the data found in this system?

f.            In this system, how was security dealt with?

g.           How was redundancy controlled? What problems occurred because of this?

h.           Was there a protocol to allow for multiple users to access the data?

i.             Were there any backups within this system? Explain.

j.             What was in place that managed the integrity of the data?

k.           Would have doing the same system in the form of a database fixed things? Why/Why not?

4.      Now I would like you to examine a database that you have used in the past. Try to relate this in some way to the file system you explored above because this will allow you to compare the two together at the end.

a.           As before describe the five components

b.           What was your ranking in terms of effectiveness?

c.           Describe the good and bad points of this database system.

d.           How did analysis take place within this system? How easy was it to pull information and make decisions?

e.           What security considerations were in place?

f.            How about redundancy control?

g.           Multiuser access?

h.           How was the data backed up?

i.             What controls were in place to control the integrity?

5.      After you have analyzed both, now I want you to compare the two systems.

a.      Which did you find to be the most effective? Why?

b.      If you were selecting to implement a system which would it be more similar to? Why?

c.      What would you add to the file system format to make things better? What would you take away?

d.      What would you add to a database system? Take Away?

6.      The final area of the chapter explores some careers that are possible within the field of databases. I would like you to select a career from the list or elsewhere and do a summary of that field, explaining things such as what they do. Once you conduct the summary find a job in the Maine/New England area for that position. Summarize this job. Is it something that interests you? How do you relate to the qualifications? How will you get to where you need to be?

Attached Files: | - KVCC BUS210_DatabaseDesignMgt_Assignment 2.pdf