Suitability of a relational database structure rather than a spreadsheet table - Essay Example

Suitability of a relational database structure rather than a spreadsheet table By Affiliation Introduction A database systemis an application that is able to store, recover, and manage data very quickly. There are different types of databases those could facilitate the handling and management of the business, institutional or personal data (Mannila & Raiha, 1992, p.318; Hoffer et al., 2007, p.10). This research is about determining the suitability of a relational database structure over a spreadsheet table for storing and accessing data for a local arts centre. The local arts centre wants to store and access the information on the various classes and/or workshops offered, the tutors, their specialist areas and the people who sign up for the classes. In this scenario there are two main technology options; we can build a spreadsheet structure for managing these operations or we can develop a relational database system to deal with the operations of the local arts centre. This paper will present discussion regarding selection of better technology. Information Needs Local arts centre wants to store different type of data regarding the people and operations (classes). Thus, there is a variety of data records for the institute that needs to be stored in the database. The initial data record the local arts centre wants to store is the information about various classes and/or workshops offered. So, there are following data sets that they need to store. Class Number, Class Name, Class Students, Class teacher, Class Type, Class Room number, etc The next data that local arts centre needs to store is about the class tutors and their specialist areas. This type of entity will have following data objects: Tutor Name, Tutor number, Tutor Gender, Tutor Qualification, Tutor areas of specializing, Tutor age, Tutor Address, Tutor contact number, etc; The next data that local arts centre needs to store is about the people (students) who sign up for the classes. This entity will be having following type of record. Students ID, Students Name, Students Address, Students Class, Students Gender, Students Phone number, Students Date of Birth, etc Thus, there will be the different data sets which local arts centre needs to store and process. However, these data sets could be developed using the spreadsheet structure or through the relational database. Thus, this paper will examine the feasibility of both structures for storing these data and choose the best one for handling these data sets. Spreadsheet structure A spreadsheet facilitates users to generate tables and financial plans by inserting data into rows and columns given as a web on a display screen (Hutchinson & Sawyer, 2000, p.12.16). The initial and simple option we are having is about the use of spreadsheet structure. When we decide to use spreadsheet structure one of main question arises in our mind is “why do we use spreadsheets for our databases? Spreadsheet structure like excel is really good for a lot of things for example showing PivotTables, displaying charts, displaying diverse categories of data on the similar worksheet and facility of applying automatic formulas. In addition, there are lots of other facilities offered by the spreadsheet structure like ease of data retrieval, automatic data operational functions, web based help, extensive web based working help, simpler structure, quick development, less complex data management and data portability (Date, 2003, p.56-65). Although, a spreadsheet offers several advantages but we can also face several problems with the spreadsheet structure. These problems could be related to the storage, manipulation or access related. Additionally, a spreadsheet structure offers various difficulties when it is utilized for data storage. The spreadsheet data storage structure is cumbersome to retrieve data from some table however the most basic data retrieval queries, presenting small or no data validation for retrieving data. Another main negative aspect of spreadsheet structure is about the less or no data protection besides data corruption from well-meaning however weakly trained data users (Date, 2003, pp.56-65; Hutchinson & Sawyer, 2000, p.12.16). Another main problem with the spreadsheet structure is regarding the access to multiple people who require access to a particular data file. In this scenario, spreadsheet structure is not helpful for the simultaneous and shared access to data files. Thus, the spreadsheet structure is not so flexible structure for data sharing as compared to relational database systems. However, the new versions of spreadsheet packages might be capable to offer sharing workbooks options that are a small solution to a huge problem of spreadsheet structure data sharing (Oppel, 2004, pp.34-40; Date, 2003, pp. 56-65). The data validation and data integrity are also major issues in spreadsheets. In this scenario spreadsheet structures offer too little checks and restrictions to establish data validation and data integrity parameters. However, to implement these data validation and data integrity checks in Excel we need to work really hard on the other hand, relational database system offers built in facility to implement these checks and restrictions (Oppel, 2004, pp.34-40; Date, 2003, pp. 56-65). Furthermore, the spreadsheet structure is not helpful for huge data sets. Since, when the size of datasets increases its capacity and speed reduces. Also, most important issue is the less or no data security in case of spreadsheet structure for data storage (Oppel, 2004, pp.34-40; Date, 2003, pp. 56-65). Relational Database Structure Relational database structure is composed of data that is stored in tables. In addition, these tables possess similar arrangement repeated in every row as well as there are relations among the tables that make it a "relational" table. Additionally, a relational database stores data in a tabular form, in which each file is acknowledged as a table. And each field is a column in the table. Each record in the file is a row in the table (Whitten et al., 2000, p.443). In case of establishment of relational database structure for the local arts centre we need to ask following questions from the people of local arts centre (Codd, 1970; Oppel, 2004, pp. 34-40): Does data need to be stored for a long-term storage? Do numerous people require access to this data? Do there is need to implement security for wrong entries? Does the data require to be protected besides illegal access or inadvertent corruption? Is a huge fraction of the data redundant? To find the answers of above given questions we need to survey the institute working and operations those offer insight into the overall type of operational and data handling arrangements. However, the use of relational database to store the data of local arts centre will offer following facilities and advantages: A relational database offers the facility to incorporate a variety of applications in order to enhance the performance through a central database management system for the entire corporation’s concerned in the data processing, compilation, and evaluation and management aspects (Mannila & Raiha, 1992, p.318; Oppel, 2004, pp.34-40). In case of relational database user does not need to care for any structure. Therefore, they can be utilized with less training. In addition, in relational databases, data could be inserted, modified, and deleted without any difficulty (Hutchinson & Sawyer, 2000, p.12.16). Through the implementation of relational database structure, local arts centre will have “minimal data redundancy”. In other words, their data will reside in one central database. Thus, the data presented in one file will not be duplicated in another. And this will decrease data redundancy (Mannila & Raiha, 1992, p.318; Oppel, 2004, pp.34-40). Another most important feature of the relational database structure is the data consistency. Since, reducing the data redundancy means enhanced data consistency. Thus, there will no duplications and conflicts among the data sets. In addition, the relational database structure also offers “data integration”. Since, the related and similar data are stored in single database (Mannila & Raiha, 1992, p.318; Oppel, 2004, pp.34-40). Relational database requires less effort for the maintenance because of less complex as well as easy to manage centralized nature of the database system. In addition, the relational database structure offers the facilities of extreme data sharing, in other words, sharing of the associated data throughout programs as the data are stored in a centralized way (Mannila & Raiha, 1992, p.318). Comparison This section concludes above given discussion in the form of a table. This table demonstrates the overall working and performance of relational and excel based spreadsheet database. No Relational Database Spread Sheet database. 1 Easier to share Less or no data sharing 2 Offers higher security Less effective security 3 More efficient working with other applications Less effective cooperative working with other applications 4 Better reporting Less efficient reporting facility 5 Greater capacity Limited capacity 6 Easier to maintain Harder to maintain 7 Less duplication Highly duplicated 8 Less training required More training required 9 Easy to find data Difficult to find Conclusion The database can be developed using the spreadsheet and relational database structures. In case of effective development and handling of data and its effective manipulation we have seen that relational database structure offers more facilities and functions. However, the spreadsheet structure is also effective in case of small data management because it is easy to produce and manage. But, in case of huge or complex data management and handling we will surely require the relational database structures. Thus, the local arts centre should choose relational database structure for storing the data. References 1. Codd, E.F., 1970. A relational model of data for large shared data banks. Communications of the ACM, 13(6), pp.377-87. 2. Date, C.J., 2003. An Introduction to Database Systems. 8th ed. New York: Addison-Wesley. 3. Hoffer, J.A., Prescott, M.B. & McFadden, F.R., 2007. Modern Database Management, Eighth Edition. Pearson Education, Inc. 4. Hutchinson, S.E. & Sawyer, S.C., 2000. Computers, Communications, Information A users Introduction. 7th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. 5. Mannila, H. & Raiha, K.-J., 1992. The Design of Relational Databases. Boston, MA, USA : Addison-Wesley. 6. Oppel, A., 2004. Databases Demystified. 1st ed. New York, USA: McGraw-Hill/Osborne. 7. Oppel, A., 2004. Relational Databases (principles And Fundamentals). New York: Dreamtech Press. 8. Whitten, J.L., Bentley, L.D. & Dittman, K.C., 2000. Systems Analysis and Design Methods 5th Edition. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill. Read More