Week 10: Muddy

Correction: Last weeks blog post should have been titled "Week 9" instead of "Week 8" - I forgot to skip over the Midterm week. 

This week we talked about Database Management and the program Microsoft Access. I would also like this point out that this is my first ever "Muddy" blog post. That is due in part to not completely understanding Access. I have worked with MySQL a lot and understand how databases work. However I have never used Access before this week. I thought that it would be very easy to pick up. I was wrong. Its not that easy to pick up. I do understand the basics such as Design View and Datasheet view and how it stores the data. I think the real problem that I am having trouble with is that there is a lot of different task planes and that makes it easy to get confused. I understand what I want to do but not sure how to use the program to accomplish that.

Now I would like to talk a bit about some of the things which I did learn this week and did understand. A database can be defined as a "collection of data organized in a manner that allows access, retrieval, and use of that data" (Discovering Computer 2010, p.514). A database table is similar to what you may see in Excel.
Data can be stored in different ways. It can be in a file processing environment in which every department in a company has its own set of data. Or in a database which is shared throughout the company. Obviously a database is the more efficient choice. In a file processing environment the terms used are different then in a relational database. A file is a table, a record is a row, and a field is a column respectively. Data can also be stored in different dimensions. A relational database stores data in two dimensions but a multidimensional database stores data in more then two. I would like to learn more about multidimensional database since I have never heard of them before but the book does not talk a lot about them.

Microsoft Access is a GUI program that is a relational database management system (DBMS). This means that users can add, delete and sort data. The relational part means that the database stores data in tables using rows and columns. It also means that the database uses relationships. Relationships can be built which connect data and link it together. An easy example of a relationship might be that of a Key Field. A Key Field contains an identification number which is unique to that Record. The only data in a database that should ever be in more then one place is that Key Field. This is because the Key Field is necessary to identity data in different tables. Any other data which is needed in more then one place can be joined together.

In order to manipulate data in a database you need a Query Language. This Query Language is similar in respects to a formula in Excel. It can be typed out by hand but most DBMS such as Access let the user use a wizard. One of the most common Query Languages is SQL where the S stands for Structured. Using a Query Language format data can also be taken out of a DBMS and inserted into a text file. This is an important to do especially for backups. It is also important to note that you don't have to backup the entire database, only certain tables can be backed up if you wish. The text file can then be inserted back into a database. To make sure the data gets transferred correctly is why you would need a SQL. Without it the data may not get put in the correct spot. 

Well that is it for now. There is a lot to talk about when discussing database. Hopefully next weeks topic will be easier. :) Happy Halloween!