A methodology and system for logical database design
Vance Waddle · Purdue e-Pubs (Purdue University System) · 1982
Current database design methods are manual methods, relying heavily on the designer's skill and experience. These methods are ineffective for large design problems. An interactive computer design aid can store design parameters, and perform pre-processing before design decisions are made. This thesis describes the models and techniques implemented within such a design system. Database design consists of: (1) modelling the structure and usage of users' data (view modelling), (2) integrating forming a global model (view integration), and (3) designing an efficient schema (schema generation). View modelling efforts have produced numerous data models that can not be manipulated, and ignore the data's usage. View integration efforts assume unique relationships hold between pairs of globally unique data items. Schema generation efforts either deal solely with the data's structure (possibly producing inefficient designs), or solely with processing costs. The latter results omit or restrict accessing mechanisms in order to utilize optimization methods (e.g., integer programming).