1. ANALYSE SITUATIONS AND/OR ENVIRONMENTS FOR THE APPLICATION OF A DATABASE SOLUTION WITH RESPECT TO DISTRIBUTED DATA
Analysis,
Problem Solving

2. DEFINE THE CENTRAL CONCEPTS OF DATABASES, INCLUDING CONSTRAINTS IN THE DESIGN OF A DISTRIBUTED DATABASE DUE TO ISSUES OF CONCURRENCY, INTEGRITY AND SECURITY.
Communication,
Knowledge and Understanding

3. DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS AND RESEARCH IN DISTRIBUTED DATA AND DATABASES.
Learning,
Enquiry

4. BE ABLE TO DESIGN, IMPLEMENT, AND DOCUMENT (APPROPRIATELY) EFFICIENT ALGORITHMS Application

5. EXPLAIN THE STRUCTURE, CORRECT USE OF AND IMPLEMENTATION OF APPROPRIATE ADVANCED DATA STRUCTURES AND ALGORITHMS FOR A RANGE OF SCENARIOS.
Knowledge and Understanding
Communication

Assignment 1 –
An individual practical assignment to create a database artefact which is supported by a management style report (Learning Outcomes 1 to 3)

Assignment 2 –
An individual coursework portfolio assessing Learning Outcomes 4 to 5.
The portfolio (a phased series of tasks) will comprise a series of practical exercises.

Relational Databases -
Database languages i.e. SQL: DML, DDL and DCL and PL/SQL
Database reliability, integrity and concurrency control with respect to distributed systems
Client Server and Distributed systems including 2 and 3 Phase commit protocols
Performance considerations including technologies that support OLAP, Data Mining and Data Warehousing
Database Administration
Compression, Virtualisation, Consolidation and related Green issues
Overview of visualisation of data including dashboards
Brief Overview of Security with respect to Databases which are External Facing

Data Structures and Algorithms –
Design and the use of data structures
Data types
Formatting
Operators
Iteration and selection control structures
Functions
Strings
Variable scope
Arrays, structures, pointers
Modular development (e.g. functions, and header files)
Algorithmic design
The module will also introduce standard working place algorithms such as travelling salesmen, and van loading

Extensive use is made of the technique of learning via problem solving with each student having their own database account. The course relies heavily on prescribed reading with lectures supporting the learning in difficult areas.

Students will be able to identify the extent and type of help they require from these sessions by active learning self assessments which will be provided as an integral part of the module. There will be 26 lectures and 52 tutorial/practical sessions.

Connelly and Begg (2016), Database systems, Addison-Wesley,2016. ISBN 9780132943260

White papers from Oracle.com and Microsoft.com

Cormen et al, (2014), Introduction to Algorithms, MIT Press, ISBN N/A Ebook in University Library

Hieineman et al, (2016), Algorithms in a nutshell, O’Reilly, ISBN 1491948922

Oracle and SQLServer enterprise edition

None

Relational databases are extremely common in the IT industry. This module will teach students how to manage a relational database and will provide and discuss issues relating to the management and control of replicated and distributed databases. The module will also concentrate on the design and the use of data structures, and emphasis will be placed on algorithmic design.