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Database Systems: A Practical Approach to Design, Implementation and Management

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This best-selling text introduces the theory behind databases in a concise yet comprehensive manner, providing database design methodology that can be used by both technical and non-technical readers. The methodology for relational Database Management Systems is presented in simple, step-by-step instructions in conjunction with a realistic worked example using three explicit phases—conceptual, logical, and physical database design.

Background: Introduction to Databases; Database Environment; Database Architectures and the Web. The Relational Model and Languages: The Relational model; Relational Algebra and Relational Calculus; SQL: Data Manipulation; SQL: Data Definition; Query-By-Example (QBE). Database Analysis and Design: Database System Lifecycle; Database Analysis and the DreamHome Case Study; Entity–Relationship Modeling; Enhanced Entity–Relationship Modeling; Normalization; Advanced Normalization. Methodology: Methodology—Conceptual Database Design; Methodology—Logical Database Design for Relational Model; Methodology—Physical Database Design for Relational Databases; Methodology—Monitoring and Tuning the Operational System. Selected Database Issues: Security and Administration; Professional, Legal, and Ethical Issues; Transaction Management; Query Processing. Distributed DBMSs and Replication: Distributed DBMSs—Concepts and Design; Distributed DBMSs—Advanced Concepts; Replication and Mobile Databases. Object DBMSs: Object-Oriented DBMSs—Concepts and Design; Object-Oriented DBMSs—Standards andLanguages; Object-Relational DBMSs. Web and DBMSs: Web Technology and DBMSs; Semistructured Data and XML. Business Intelligence Technologies: Data Warehousing Concepts; Data Warehousing Design; OLAP; Data Mining. Appendices: Users' Requirements Specification for DreamHome Case Study; Other Case Studies; Alternative Data Modeling Notations; Summary of the Database Design Methodology for Relational Databases; Introduction to Pyrrho—A Liteweight RDBMS. Web Appendices: File Organization and Storage Structures; When Is a DBMS Relational?; Commercial DBMSs: Access and Oracle; Programmatic SQL; Estimating Disk Space Requirements; Introduction to Object-Orientation; Example Web Scripts.

This book is ideal for readers interested in database management or database design.




1330 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1995

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About the author

Thomas M. Connolly

15 books1 follower

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5 stars
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99 (32%)
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87 (28%)
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20 (6%)
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Profile Image for Morten Brunbjerg Bech.
8 reviews1 follower
January 18, 2022
This is one heavy brick of a book. Don’t drop it on your head while reading in bed, you might never wake up again. Very detailed, comprehensive, and informative. More theoretical than practical and a bit to the dry side, though. Drink lots of water along with this one.
Profile Image for Danielle.
198 reviews2 followers
August 4, 2025
I absolutely did not read the entire thing, but it was a textbook for an MLIS class I took in database design so I did read a good amount of it.

This was all completely new information to me and not really in my wheelhouse, but Connolly does a fantastic job breaking things down for a newbie. Even though my brain hurt pretty often while trying to take in all the information, it actually helped me realize that I'm very interested in database creation!

I think I blacked out when the discussion turned to relational algebra and calculus... but thankfully my class didn't focus on those elements lol.
Profile Image for Ibrahim Radi.
34 reviews3 followers
February 6, 2022
Had to read this for my minor. With not too much database management experience, this book was a little rough. If you have database management and design experience, I think this book would be nice to read, but man, it was a bit intense.
I've been reading this book in a Data Base course at the university.
Profile Image for Arief Nake Bahadi.
13 reviews6 followers
December 2, 2010
kitab suci di kampus gw buat anak database :D
untuk penulisan di skripsi diwajibkan buku dari pak connolly ini
tidak heran klo setiap mau skripsi or ujian buku ini laris manis sampai tidak berbekasi di perpustakaan
dari isi menurut gw komplit
dimulai dengan konsep database berlanjut dengan contoh-contoh sql dari yang mudah hingga komplex
dilanjutkan dengan membangun database dari conceptual hingga pengimplementasian secara physical
pokoknya top bgt lah ini buku!!
Profile Image for Amr.
12 reviews8 followers
December 6, 2013
I'm not a database designer but when I had to design a database I used the book as a reference. I found good theoretical base with rich examples that had a great value to me.

I didn't read the whole book by the way.
Profile Image for Shiva.
14 reviews17 followers
September 12, 2008
Im need 2 read......So, no comments yet !

but as per my tuitor said i can giv 4****'s to this book.
Profile Image for Alexi Parizeau.
284 reviews32 followers
March 11, 2015
Not a bad textbook, but some parts are fairly outdated (my 4th edition was written in 2004). I still read the whole thing because it's all I have right now. So better than nothing.
Profile Image for Sunitha Prabhu.
112 reviews
March 6, 2016
A huge book to carry around. Goes in-depth the topics. I would have preferred to have more explanation and detailed examples on Data Modelling.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews

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