Beginning Relational Data Modeling, Second Edition (Paperback)

~ (Author), Evan Terry (Author)
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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

<p>Data storage design, and awareness of how data needs to be utilized within an organization, is of prime importance in ensuring that company data systems work efficiently. If you need to know how to capture the information needs of a business system in a relational database model, but don't know where to start, then this is the book for you.</p>

<p><i>Beginning Relational Data Modeling, Second Edition</i> will lead you step-by-step through the process of developing an effective logical data model for your relational database. No previous data modeling experience is even required. The authors infuse concise, straightforward wisdom to explain a usually complex, jargon-filled discipline. And examples are based on her extensive experience modeling for real business systems.</p>

About the Author

Sharon Allen has worked in the field of data analysis for twenty-four years; ten as a business consumer of data and fourteen as a data/database modeler/architect. She has had the opportunity to experience many diverse industries - Medical, Aerospace, Entertainment (Hollywood), Manufacturing (toys, appliances, wet chemicals, metal part & assemblies), Transportation, Food Service, and is currently working for American Honda Motors as a Database Architect. She plans to finish a Masters Degree in Computer Science and possibly teach at a local college.

Evan Terry has been in the IT industry for more than 15 years as a programmer/analyst, systems engineer, custom software consultant, senior developer, data analyst, and data architect, serving government and the private sector. He firmly believes that in order to succeed at developing complex systems, the IT professional must <i>truly understand the business processes</i> he supports. Evan tries to bridge the gap between the technical and the nontechnical by understanding the perspectives of both and helping the two groups communicate effectively.

Product Details

• Paperback: 632 pages
• Publisher: Apress; 2nd edition (March 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590594630
• ISBN-13: 978-1590594636
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #527,030 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars learn to make conceptual models, April 16, 2005

By	W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

While the book calls itself "Beginning", it actually takes you a long way into understanding and making a relational model. The authors heavily downplay the formal maths aspect. No predicate calculus and no proving of theorems. Of necessity, the Normal Forms are explained, including the contributions of Boyce and Codd to this development. Simple relational tables are used for illustration. This topic lends itself easily to diagrams of interrelated data sets held in tables. Which is probably more visually understandable anyway.

Perhaps the most important chapter is on making a conceptual model of your system or problem. In a top down approach, you start here. And it can be rather intangible until you build up expertise. Subsequent chapters show how to parlay the conceptual model into a logical model and then into a physical model. Important steps, to be sure, but secondary. Focus on the essentials.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic introduction to practical data modeling, May 1, 2005

By	Jack D. Herrington "engineer and author" (Silicon Valley, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I'm really happy with this book. We have needed a practical text on data modeling for some time. The other works have been largely academic. In this book the authors use real world examples to work through the material,

Graphics are used extensively through the book. But that makes sense for the topic. The graphics are a combination of UML and relational diagrams. The tone of the text is jocular and down to earth.

This is an ideal walkthrough for engineers who have some experience using databases but now want to understand how to design databases well.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read if you work with data!, April 27, 2005

By	TM (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

I've been a database programmer for 15 years but I've never kept up with the "latest" database concepts. Reading Beginning Relational Data Modeling was a great way to get myself up to date! I never learned about conceptual and logical models. So this book was a real eye-opener!

It starts out with a great introduction which includes data normalization. Every developer that works with data should know what the first three are. Apparently there has been another one added called Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF). This one was new to me and I thought it was explained very well.

I thought the book was very informational. I think every developer that works with data should read this book to bring themselves up to data on the latest data modeling concepts.