Reflection
Part 1
List three concepts, ideas, or techniques that you learned. Describe how the content relates to your current job or career goals.
The first concept learnt is relational database basics: the video is very effective in explaining the basics of database understanding. The video focuses on how to use the database and for such it requires for the understanding of the basic of the database management. The video explains how CRUD TASK is done and its relevance to database management. In addition to creating and interacting with a database, the DBMS provides maintenance and user administration capabilities. DBMS can be simple Microsoft word excel or the complex SQL server or the Oracle. Video explains the use of the DBMS be it complex or simple and their similarities. The video also focuses on understanding the relational structure and how their work. DBMS forms major part of my career goals, given that I would like to explore a software engineering profession. This will help me in organizing my databases to bring into effect my objectives.
Another important ideas is that it is very important to maintain a consistent structure. Spreadsheet as the ability to keep the tendency of the data that is provided. The video clearly brings out the importance of spreadsheet to the use of tables. With this in mind, I would be able to have control of my data during professional practice through having a consistent structure in spreadsheet.
The video is able to bring out the meaning of database management system and how it functions. It also shows the importance of the database management system not only to the computers but also to humans. In understanding the database it is not necessary to go into the parts that make the database software. In designing the database it is not appropriate to only consider the data. If it is to be effective it is very important to consider what come next after the data. What comes next is the main problem. Size of your data is a potential problem, ease of updating your data, accuracy of it, security of it, redundancy in it, importance of the data; are best considered if one is to effectively solve the problem. With a lot of inventories in my dream business, the ability to harmonize together all the databases in DBMS is essential in putting up effective program for controlling outflow and inflow.
Part 2: Use the videos provided to reflect on the material you have just viewed.
The videos given on “preventing data anomalies” and relational database basics gives us a deep understanding. For the material on “understanding NULL” we find that Null is a representation of a special state whereby the result is empty, which is no value. The concept about no value is important since it helps in giving a difference between an empty strings for a result that is nonvalue. According to the lesson, this is much true since we are shown that not null is something that, in no way, can be left to stay empty. In which case, there is no reasoned for testing for it since the implementation of the design should not be of concern to us. It is a representation of absence of, thereof, a value hence it cannot be tested for like it is followed for a normal value. Consequently, this gives us the expression “something is null” but cannot be said to be equal to null.
Exploring databases and database management systems
As discussed, we find that there is a big difference when somebody says “databases” and when another one says “database management systems”. To clarify this, we find that all the aspect of database such as Oracle, SQL server and MongoDB among others are all found under database management systems (DBMS). This system can be installed in personal computers just like any other software and by installation an individual is better placed to start managing at least one database. In which case, the DBMS is utilized in creation and management of the databases. Creation of a database is found under DBMS. From this, we get a definite distinguishing definition between the two; whereby database is the data and the rules set thereof regarding the data while the DBMS is the manager.
