ABSTRACT

 

This is a major revision of version 2 of this paper, which was a new expanded revision that superseded version 1, Un-muddling Modeling.

 

There are few data management aspects that are as thoroughly misunderstood, confused, and abused as data modeling and database design, particularly the concepts of conceptual model, data model, and logical model. That’s because database practitioners do not learn, know, or understand the history and fundamentals of their field. They learn some programming language (often on their own), and at best train in a DBMS (often by just using it), and perform data management in “cookbook mode”, without knowing or caring why.

 

A logical model represents a conceptual model in the database. The function of a data model is to serve as a means by which the latter maps to the former. Mess the modeling and mapping process up—which is the rule, rather than the exception—and even with a well-implemented true RDBMS, let alone the current SQL implementations,  data management becomes problematic and cost-ineffective.

 

The purpose of this paper is to advance understanding of business modeling and database design. Specifically, it

 

Ø       offers a systematic methodology for business modeling and database design that

Ø       provides a sound foundation framework for evaluating data management technologies, products, and practices

Ø       exposes the advantages of employing it and the costly consequences of ignoring it

Ø       demonstrates its practical value by applying it to debunk industry pronouncements and claims

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

·    INTRODUCTION

·    WHAT MEANING MEANS

·    CONCEPTUAL MODELING

§BASIC CONCEPTS

§WITHIN-SET RELATIONSHIPS

§CROSS-SET RELATIONSHIPS

§TYPING

§GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION

§BUSINESS RULES

·    DATABASE DESIGN

§    FORMALIZING THE INFORMAL

§    PREDICATES AND PROPOSITIONS

§    RELATIONAL DATA MODEL

§    LOGICAL MODELS

·    DATABASE MANAGEMENT

§    TRUTH AND CORRECTNESS

§    RELATIONAL DATABASE AND RDBMS

·    A FOUNDATION FRAMEWORK

·    MISCONCEPTIONS DEBUNKED

·    CONCLUSION

·    APPENDIX A: INTEGRITY CONSTRAINT EXAMPLES

·    REFERENCES

 

 

USE OF MATERIAL POLICY

 

 

PRICING AND ORDERING