Coursework 50% assessing Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4

A final assignment weighted at 50% with an associated mandatory viva voce assessing Learning Outcomes 1, 3 and 4.
The assignment will take the form of answers to all questions on an examination paper. Students are required to participate in a viva to verify the work is their own. The examination paper would normally be set to be completed in 2 hours under examination conditions, but for e-learning students they will need to take longer as they will need to answer all the questions on the paper.

Theory and models of database management systems.
Discussion of the relational and the extended relational model (ORDBMS). Discussion of the Object-Oriented approach and comparison with relational systems. Design methodologies for database systems, links with the systems analysis and design process Client-Server architectures, Web-database architectures. Passive and active database systems.

Data Dictionaries
The need for dictionaries and their use in database applications. Intelligent dictionary systems.

Database security
System security. Backup and recovery strategies. Handling concurrency, locking protocols.

Database Administration
Organisation of database control. Database software selection and evaluation. Licensing and contractual agreements.

Distributed Databases
Centralisation versus decentralisation. Client/Server versus distributed database applications. Locking and transaction control (parallelism and serialisability). Recovery procedures. Modes of organisation.

Database Tuning
Query Optimisation. Database internals - controls and parameters. Query performance tools.

Data Warehousing Warehouse, legacy systems and data marts. Metadata. Optimisation of the warehouse (use of bit-mapped indexes). Schema designs (stars and snowflakes). Multi-Dimensional Databases and On-line Analytical processing.

Object-Oriented Databases
Types of object, persistence, inheritance, methods, encapsulation, overriding and late-binding. Examples of applications research trends and issues.

None.

Material on Blackboard
Oracle
ASP
A web browser that can process ASP equivalent to IE6
On-line Oracle ref www.w3schoolsonline.com
Staffordshire University has subscriptions to electronic book services such as Safari Tech Books, Ebrary and Netlibrary. There are titles in each of the collections that will support students studying mobile computing. Staffordshire University has subscriptions to IEEExplore, ACM Digital Library, Elsevier Science Direct and Infotrac Computer Daatabase all offering full text electronic access to journals and conference proceedings.

Students will have participated in an award induction workshop where they will learn how to use the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) employed for the study of this module. Subsequently students will work through the module material provided on the VLE at a pace suggested within the VLE for the module. The material will include activities and review questions that allow students to assimilate the concepts and skills required by the module. Students will be encouraged to discuss relevant aspects within discussion forums that are part of the VLE. The forums will allow discussion with a student's peer group as well as the module tutor.

Essential Reading
An Introduction to Database Systems, Volume 1, C J Date, Addison-Wesley, 1994, ISBN: 0201824582
Database Systems Concepts, Korth and Silberschatz et. al., Osbourne McGraw Hill, 2001, ISBN: 0072283637
Database Systems: A Practical Approach to Design, Implementation and Management, 4th Edition, T M Connolly, C E Begg, Addison Wesley, 2004, ISBN: 0321210255