A Database Design Using Life Cycle Concepts, Research Paper Example

Broadly, the database life cycle describes the stages that are needed to ensure that a database is running properly. Ultimately, this process is used when a database is first developed through verification of its functionality to ensure that the database operates as it was initially intended. The database life cycle never ends because each of its process need to continue in a constant fashion to ensure that the database can operate properly. It is expected that after a database is established, this lifecycle will compete until it the user decides to discontinue use. The stages of the database lifecycle are: requirement analysis, logical design, physical design, implementation, and monitoring, maintenance, and modification. After the database is monitored, maintained, and modified, the system will always go back to the requirements analysis and the cycle will repeat again.

The requirements analysis requires the most hands on work in the development of a database. Ultimately, this allows an individual to determine the type of information that needs to be stored. The logical design is used to show how tables, fields, and primary keys are related to one another. The physical design is altered to determine how to maximize the efficiency of the database and the goal is to ultimately speed up the performance of the system. After the database is actually turned on (implemented), work is then done to determine how the system could perform better. If this is the case, changes will be made. If the system is found to be running optimally, it will continue from the beginning of the cycle infinitely until it is told to stop.

References

AMK. (n.d.). Designing Databases. Retrieved from http://www2.amk.fi/digma.fi/www.amk.fi/opintojaksot/0303011/1142845462205/1142847774995/1142849037295/1143037341377.html

Relational DB Design. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.relationaldbdesign.com/relational-database-design/module3/dblc-design-stages.php