Database Systems I - Logistics

1. CS3431 –Database Systems I Logistics Instructor: Mohamed Eltabakh meltabakh@cs.wpi.edu CS3431-B11

2. What will you learn in this course? • Database Design • Represent application requirements in conceptual model (ER) • Translate an ER model to relational model • Analyze ‘goodness’ of schema using normalization theory. • Operations for Relational Model • Foundations: Relational Algebra • SQL: Standard Query Language • Database Application Development • Programming interfaces/JDBC/ Connections • Advanced Database Features • Stored procedures, triggers, views, constraints, etc. • Selective topics (based on time) • indexes, transactions, security

3. Textbook Required: A First Course in Database systems. Third Edition, 2008. Jeffrey D. Ullman and Jennifer D. Widom Prentice Hall. ISBN: 013600637X >> One copy is available in the library More Advanced: Database Systems: The Complete Book, Second Edition Hector Garcia-Molina, Jeffrey D. Ullman and Jennifer D. Widom Prentice Hall, 2009. ISBN: 9780131873254

4. Course Logistics • Web Page: http://web.cs.wpi.edu/~cs3431/b11 • Electronic WPI system: blackboard.wpi.edu • Lectures • T, F: (8:00am-9:50am) • Grading • H/W assignments (five HWs): 20% • Project (one project - in 6 phases): 25% • Exams : mid term (25%) + final (25%) • Class participation: 5%

5. Course Management • The two systems will be maintained • Web Page: http://web.cs.wpi.edu/~cs3431/b11 • Electronic WPI system: blackboard.wpi.edu • Homework/Project submissions • Either at the beginning of class on the due date • Or electronically on blackboard.wpi.edu • Viewing Grades • On blackboard.wpi.edu

6. Office Hours • Posted on the course web page • Covers most days of the week • Make use of them– they are there for YOU !

7. Communication • Primarily, we will use blackboard.wpi.edu • Three discussion forums have been created: • Project Discussion: This forum is for project-related posts • Homework Discussion: This forum is for homework-related posts • Material Discussion: This forum is for any other course-related posts

8. H/Ws and Projects • H/Ws due dates announced with assignment • Individual effort (to assure you practice and know the material!) • Project will be done in multiple phases • Team effort (to collaborate and have feedback cycles on designs) • A full cycle from project idea, design, development to final polished project presentation ! • Tentative deadlines for HWs/project phases can be found on the web site • Late submissions • “One-day late homeworks and projects will be accepted and graded with 10% cutoff of the maximum grade.” • “More than one-day late homeworks and projects will not be accepted”

9. Doing well • Exams • Master the topics (attend lectures, homework, projects) • Master the topics on time • Projects • Practice the course material • Ensure that you are on schedule • Teamwork counts

10. More about Project CS3431-B11

11. One continuous course project • Description: Envision a database application, design and implement it fully • Teaming: Teams of 3 students each • Grading: Collect points over the phases

12. Phases • The description of each phase, and its tentative deadline is on the web site: http://web.cs.wpi.edu/~cs3431/b11 • Phase 0: Form Teams/Select Domain • Phase 1: Conceptual Design • Phase 2: Logical Design • Phase 3: Normalized Design/Relational Algebra • Phase 4: SQL Queries and Running System on Oracle • Phase 5: Advanced Operations/Interface (Complete Project)

13. Phase 0 Starting Today… • Check the website for details • No grade associated with this phase • Basically you need to do two things: • Form teams of three • Select an application of interest