Database Design Info

The database design is a process involving the creation of a data model of a dataset, and thus the database as most end users imagine it. The database design is based on a logical data model which provides the logical as well as the physical design structure together with the physical storage parameters used in the final design. The actual design of the software database is performed with the help of a Data Definition language.

The term on its own, database design, may refer to several parts and steps of the design process of a complete database. In principle, the term should however describe the design process in logical terms and the basic data structures which are needed to store the infromation or better said data. Depending on the type of database model, these structures may vary. For instance, while in the relational model, they are views and tables, in the object model they are relationships and entities.

Databases are designed on the basis of several steps that must be followed thoroughly. Firstly, the database designer needs to identify the relationships between the different elements, then to create a logical structure based on that data and on the basis of the relationships established in the first step. The type of data that is going to be stored on the database plays also an important role in the database design process. As a result, it is always important to determine the purpose of the database, collecting and organizing the information required, dividing it into tables and turning information into columns are other intermediary steps to be followed when designing a database. At the same time, one needs to specify the primary keys as well as setting up the relationships, refining the design and applying the normalizing rules. There are three main types of designs which include logically structuring data, physical database design and conceptual schema.