Data Base Environment Paper
Patrick Pasquali
DBM/380
Kurt Jost
October 27th 2014
Database Environment
1
The current database at the school that I work at is in need of a an overhaul that will make it easier to track tablets that need to be fixed, also the parts they need, as well as the locations of tablets. This database is primarily done on in a spreadsheet format that allows for the tracking of all the above mentioned information. The database has been functional for some years now but the number of students has steadily increased which has increased the amount of units needed to be supplied to the students this in turn has increased the amount of damaged units that need to be repaired in quickest possible fashion. Using the current database takes up to much time that could be used for repairing the tablets and make the process run smoother.
The use of an relational database to help organize the process into tables with rows and columns to do just that. Data in a table can be related according to common keys or concepts, and the ability to retrieve related data from a table is the basis for the term relational database(Oracle.com). The use of the relational data base will also require the use of new software to help manage the database and all though their are many different relational database management systems Microsoft SQL would work best with the system network we have today.Microsoft SQL will be easier to integrate and has many of the features we will need to increase productivity along with some other features that will just be a bonus to us that other systems do not offer like a having a better degree of security for than say Oracle or SYbase
(Microsoft.com). Microsoft SQL has developed cloud based hybrid database that will store the information on campus but also in the cloud making it easier for the techs to keep connected to the database as they travel to from school to school making repairs and tracking tablets. Objectives The objectives of a new database system would be to help store and organize the large amount of data that is coming into the department. Not only would a new database would do all these things but would get everyone to use one system instead of using their own systems and trying to integrate them together which can be a tedious process that often causes conflicts between departments. The way the data is entered can cause confusion with data, sometimes data is missing , or data can be lost and possibly not even entered at all. The design which we will use will help to clear all this up using three to four tables with the information broken down and linked together. The first table will contain the Product_name with a few different attributes like asset_number, tracking_id, student_name. Than table two will have Part_number,
Typeof_part, order_status, also tracking_id to be the key to link the tables together . Table three would have Location, tech_assigned and , status of repair also use tracking id to link together.
Getting into more detail than the current spreadsheet system that we
