DATABASE SYSTEMS

Notices:

• If you have further queries about marking, please get them to me by midday on Friday (10 Dec). Provide the homework and attach a sheet with a clear indication of what you want us to look at. If I'm not in, slide them under my door.

• Solutions for assignments 1 and 2 now available (below).

Time and Place Tuesdays 11:10am-1pm DHT Fac Room South Instructor: Peter Buneman Office hours: Wednesdays, 11am-noon. Syllabus:

• Introduction; HTML and XML

• XPath and XML navigation

• XML structure; the relational model

• Relational algebra

• SQL and SQL DDL

• E-R diagrams; functional dependencies and database design

• Implementation of relational operations

• Query optimization and indexing

• Transaction processing and concurency

Assesment:

• Exam (75%)
  Please note the format of the exam, which will consist of a series of relatively short questions (examples from previous years are available). The examination will not require detailed knowledge of the syntax of programming languages, nor will it require long written programs.

• 3 assignments:

• Assignment 1: basic relational model, data formats relational model, XML, relational algebra (written answers, 8%);  assigned 4 October, due 18 October

• Assignment 2: SQL programming (10%), assigned 21 October, due 8 November

• Assignment 3: database design, optimization query/transaction processing, (written answers, 7%), assigned 15 November, due 29 November

Textbook (recommended): Ramakrishnan-Gehrke Database Management Systems

Lecture materials:

• Handout 1: 4 slides per page and full page. Please don't waste trees!

• Handout 2, Relational Algebra and SQL: 4 slides per page and full page.

• Handout 3, Database Design: 4 slides per page and full page.

• Handout 4, Database Design: 4 slides per page and full page
  
  Coursework:

• Coursework 1, now with answers, due 18 October

• Coursework 2, with answers, due 8 November. Clarification to questions 1b and 2f, and a small correction to 2e. Here are some useful files

  • Using PostgreSQL on dice machines

  • PostgreSQL tutorial 1

  • A partial list of Scottish Monarchs

  • A sample Python script that uses SAX and some XML data to test it with.

  • To connect to PostgreSQL use Psycopg . Open a connection with conn = psycopg2.connect("host=pgteach")

• Coursework 3, due 29 November