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

Lake, Peter

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1447156005 ISBN 13: 9781447156000

Publisher: Springer-Verlag New York Inc, 2013

Synopsis

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 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.

About this title

From the Back Cover

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.

About the Author

Peter Lake is Course Leader for the Oracle IT&M MSc and the IT Professional MSc at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. His other Springer publications include the successful Guide to Cloud Computing.

Paul Crowther is Head of Postgraduate (taught programmes) in the Faculty of Arts, Computing, Engineering and Sciences at Sheffield Hallam University, UK.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag New York Inc
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1447156005
• ISBN 13: 9781447156000
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 326