This document discusses traditional database design methods. It describes three common data models: hierarchical, network, and relational. It also outlines the three phases of traditional database design: conceptual, logical, and physical. Finally, it provides an example of applying these concepts to the design of a database for a skate shop, with tables for products and suppliers.

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Unit #1 Individual Project - Database Design Methodology
Travis Lee Thompson
ITCO231-1202B-03
American Intercontinental University

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Table Of Contents
3 Traditional Database Design Methods ........................................................................... Page 3
3 Phases of the Traditional Database Design Method ...................................................... Page 6
3 Applications of the Traditional Database Design Method ............................................. Page 8
Reference(s) ....................................................................................................................... Page 9

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3 Traditional Database Design Methods
The hierarchical data model resembles the "parent-child" relationship in which the parent
can have many children, but the children can have no more than one parent. A picture of such a
model is as follows:
The network data model resembles the "many-to-many" relationship in which parents can
many children, and the children can have more than one parent. A picture of such a relationship
is as follows:

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According to the preceding picture, the "Asphalt Sealant" child has 2 parents ("Joint Seal" &
"Patching").
The relational data model can't be expressed in a neat tree-like structure like the other 2
models. Allow me to use the following "table-like" picture to guide my explanation of this
model:

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The preceding picture consists of a table of publishers (PubID key); a table of authors (AuthorID
key); and the main table of books (ISBN key). Each of the tables has a key that serves as the
driver of the tables. The table of books serves as the driver of the entire database. Each book
record consists of an author ID (to be used to retrieve information about the author) and a
publisher ID (to be used to retrieve information about the publishing company).

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3 Phases of the Traditional Database Design Method
The 3 phases are as follows: conceptual data phase, logical data phase, and physical data
phase. The conceptual data phase defines the problem (requirements) from a high level. Entities
and their relationships are listed during this phase. Within the context of Fernando's Skate Shop,
the entities are as follows:
Product ID (parent)
Supplier ID
The relationship between the 2 entities is of a parent-child in which the product (skateboard)
entity is the parent and the supplier (skateboard manufacturer) entity is the child. In other words,
I can use the supplier ID of the product entity (parent) to access the supplier entity (child) but not
vice versa. The logical data phase defines the solution with more details in each entity as
follows:
Supplier ID (child)
Product ID (parent)
Supplier ID
Description
Type
Unit Price
Supplier ID (child)
Supplier Name
Supplier Address

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The relationship remains the same as is stated during the conceptual phase. The physical data
phase defines the implementation of Fernando's Skate Shop's data in an actual database. The
variables within each entity are assigned data types as follows:
Product ID: INTEGER
Supplier ID: INTEGER
Description: VARCHAR(30)
Type: VARCHAR(30)
Unit Price: FLOAT
Supplier ID: INTEGER
Supplier Name: INTEGER
Supplier Address: VARCHAR(30)

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3 Applications of the Traditional Database Design Method
The 2 tables are as follows:
Product ID Supplier ID Type Unit Price Description
000000000
1
0000000010 STREET 59.99 Blind Etch
000000000
2
0000000020 TRICKS 89.99 Element Bam Tread
000000000
3
0000000030 CHILDREN 49.99 Speed Demons Checks Hippie
000000000
4
0000000020 TRICKS 119.99 Element Rainbow Fart
000000000
5
0000000010 STREET 90.99 Blind Whiteout Super Saver
Supplier ID Supplier Name Supplier Address

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0000000010 Blind Skateboards 1234 Capital Boulevard, Raleigh, NC 27616
0000000020 Element Skateboards 1235 Capital Boulevard, Raleigh, NC 27615
0000000030 Plan B Skateboards 1236 Capital Boulevard, Raleigh, NC 27617
Remember that the product table (product ID) represents the parent, and the supplier table
(supplier ID) represents the child. The parent can access the child but not vice versa.
References
Alexander L. Lashenko. (No date). Database Models. unixspace.com
Retrieved by: http://unixspace.com/context/databases.html
David Mertz. (2001). Hypothetical Hierarchical Database Model. IBM. Retrieved by:
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/x-matters8/hier.gif
U.S. Dept. of Transportation. (2001). Network Model. Wikipedia. Retrieved by:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Network_Model.svg
David Mertz. (2001). Hypothetical Relational Database Model. IBM. Retrieved by:
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/x-matters8/

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No author. (2008). Supreme Information for Informatica Professionals.....
http://snanos.blogspot.com/ (owner of the blog)
Retrieved by: http://snanos.blogspot.com/
No author. (2011). Compilation of Data Modeling Concepts. Upendra's Blog Retrieved by:
http://grow-n-shine.blogspot.com/2011/04/compilation-of-data-modeling-concepts.html