Concise Guide to Databases: A Practical Introduction (Undergraduate Topics in Computer Science)

Modern businesses depend on data for their very survival, creating a need for sophisticated databases and database technologies to help store, organise and transport their valuable data. This easy-to-read textbook/reference presents a comprehensive introduction to databases, opening with a concise history of databases and of data as an organisational asset. As relational database management systems are no longer the only database solution, the book takes a wider view of database technology, encompassing big data, NoSQL, object and object-relational, and in-memory databases. The text also examines the issues of scalability, availability, performance and security encountered when building and running a database in the real world. Topics and features: presents review and discussion questions at the end of each chapter, in addition to skill-building, hands-on exercises; introduces the fundamental concepts and technologies in database systems, placing these in an historic context; describes the challenges faced by database professionals; reviews the use of a variety of database types in business environments; discusses areas for further research within this fast-moving domain; suggests a structure for a potential university course in the preface. With its learning-by-doing approach, supported by both theoretical and practical examples, this clearly-structured textbook will be of great value to advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students of computer science, software engineering, and information technology. Practising database professionals and application developers will also find the book an ideal reference that addresses today's business needs. "Thinking of migrating to PostgreSQL? This clear, fast-paced introduction helps you understand and use this open source database system. Not only will you learn about the enterprise class features in versions 9.2, 9.3, and 9.4, you'll also discover that PostgeSQL is more than a database system--it's also an impressive application platform. -- With examples throughout, this book shows you how to achieve tasks that are difficult or impossible in other databases. This second edition covers LATERAL queries, augmented JSON support, materialized views, and other key topics. If you're a current PostgreSQL user, you'll pick up gems you may have missed before. -- Learn basic administration tasks such as role management, database creation, backup, and restore -- Apply the psql command-line utility and the pgAdmin graphical administration tool -- Explore PostgreSQL tables, constraints, and indexes -- Learn powerful SQL constructs not generally found in other databases -- Use several different languages to write database functions -- Tune your queries to run as fast as your hardware will allow -- Query external and variegated data sources with foreign data wrappers -- Learn how to use built-in replication features to replicate data." -- From Amazon Thinking of migrating to PostgreSQL? This updated guide helps you quickly understand and use the 9.3 release of this open source database system. You’ll not only learn about its unique enterprise-class features, but also discover that PostgeSQL is more than just a database system—it’s also an impressive application platform.Using numerous examples, this book shows you how to achieve tasks that are difficult or impossible in other databases. The second edition covers LATERAL queries, augmented JSON support, materialized views, and other key topics. If you’re an existing PostgreSQL user, you’ll pick up gems you may have missed along the way.Learn basic administration tasks, such as role management, database creation, backup, and restoreApply the psql command-line utility and the pgAdmin graphical administration toolExplore PostgreSQL tables, constraints, and indexesLearn powerful SQL constructs not generally found in other databasesUse several different languages to write database functionsTune your queries to run as fast as your hardware will allowQuery external and variegated data sources with Foreign Data WrappersLearn how to replicate data, using built-in replication features If you're thinking about migrating to the PostgreSQL open source database system, this guide provides a concise overview to help you quickly understand and use PostgreSQL's unique features. Not only will you learn about the enterprise class features in the 9.2 release, you'll also discover that PostgeSQL is more than just a database system—it's also an impressive application platform. With numerous examples throughout this book, you'll learn how to achieve tasks that are difficult or impossible in other databases. If you're an existing PostgreSQL user, you'll pick up gems you may have missed along the way. Learn basic administration tasks, such as role management, database creation, backup, and restore Apply the psql command-line utility and the pgAdmin graphical administration tool Explore PostgreSQL tables, constraints, and indexes Learn powerful SQL constructs not generally found in other databases Use several different languages to write database functions Tune your queries to run as fast as your hardware will allow Query external and variegated data sources with Foreign Data Wrappers Learn how to replicate data, using built-in replication features Annotation If youre thinking about migrating to the PostgreSQL open source database system, this guide provides a concise overview to help you quickly understand and use PostgreSQLs unique features. Not only will you learn about the enterprise class features in the 9.2 release, youll also discover that PostgeSQL is more than just a database systemits also an impressive application platform. With numerous examples throughout this book, youll learn how to achieve tasks that are difficult or impossible in other databases. If youre an existing PostgreSQL user, youll pick up gems you may have missed along the way. Learn basic administration tasks, such as role management, database creation, backup, and restoreApply the psql command-line utility and the pgAdmin graphical administration toolExplore PostgreSQL tables, constraints, and indexesLearn powerful SQL constructs not generally found in other databasesUse several different languages to write database functionsTune your queries to run as fast as your hardware will allowQuery external and variegated data sources with Foreign Data WrappersLearn how to replicate data, using built-in replication features April 1964, but spring hasn't quite sprung. The bad weather seems suited to nothing but bad news. And bad news is coming to the police station. First, Bordelli's friend Casimiro, who insists he's discovered the body of a man in a field above Fiesole. Bordelli races to the scene, but doesn't find any sign of a corpse. Only a couple of days later, a little girl is found at Villa Ventaglio. She has been strangled, and there is a horrible bite mark on her belly. Then another little girl is found murdered, with the same macabre signature. And meanwhile Casimiro has disappeared without a trace. The investigation marks the start of one of the darkest periods of Bordelli's life: a nightmare without end, as black as the sky above Florence Front Matter....Pages I-XIX Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Data, an Organisational Asset....Pages 3-19 A History of Databases....Pages 21-40 Physical Storage and Distribution....Pages 41-65 Front Matter....Pages 67-67 Relational Databases....Pages 69-96 NoSQL Databases....Pages 97-134 Big Data....Pages 135-159 Object and Object Relational Databases....Pages 161-182 In-Memory Databases....Pages 183-197 Front Matter....Pages 199-199 Database Scalability....Pages 201-219 Database Availability....Pages 221-239 Database Performance....Pages 241-282 Security....Pages 283-301 Back Matter....Pages 303-307 The second novel in the Inspector Bordelli series set in 1960s Florence - the detective must race to unmask a particularly brutal killer.