DATABASE SYSTEMS - PART 2

The course is one of the basic activities of the Bachelor's Degree in
Informatics and its aim is to present the fundamental concepts of
databases and the techniques for database design. Students will be
given the opportunity of experimenting the notions acquired by using
relational database systems and the SQL language. The course finally
provides the main notions needed in order to develop applications
which use databases, with special interest in web applications,
focusing on communication mechanisms between programming languages and
Database Management Systems.

Knowledge and understanding:
- knowledge and understanding of the fundamental concepts of databases;
- understanding the feasibility and complexity of creating a database and ability to select the most appropriate methods for both analysis and modeling;
- knowledge of methodologies for the design of databases, both for building new systems, and for maintaining existing ones.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
- logical-deductive and problem-solving skills;
- ability of formalizing, modeling and specifying real problems;
- ability of developing and implementing software projects using state-of-the-art technologies.

Communication skills
Being able to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

It is useful to have a basic knowledge of programming.

Data Base (DB) Management Systems: Introduction and Functionalities
Normalization
Query organization and management
Query Optimization
Database Application
Transactions
Software Architecture and DB for the Web
Introduction to NoSQL
Introduction to semantic DB (Sparql, Linked Open Data)

A. Albano, G. Ghelli, R. Orsini. Fondamenti di Basi di Dati. Zanichelli,
2005. (http://www.fondamentidibasididati.it/ )
P.Atzeni, S. Ceri, P. Fraternali, S.Paraboschi, R. Torlone. Basi di Dati. Mc Graw Hill 2018

The exam consists of a written test, a project and an oral test. The written test lasts three hours and it is composed by four exercises aimed at verifying:
1) the capability to design the conceptual schema of a database and the acquisition of the methodology for transforming the conceptual schema into a relational schema,
2) the ability to query in SQL,
3) knowledge of the concepts and algorithms related to the theory of normalization,
4) the ability to define an access plan and the choice of adequate indices for the execution of a given query.
The written test may be replaced by successful completion of two intermediate examinations. The first one checks skills 1) and 2) and the second one evaluates the knowledge concerning 3) and 4).
During the written test is not allowed the use of books, notes, electronic media.
The project consists of a simple web application using a relational database

Chalk lectures, slides and lab activities.

Italian

written and oral