Download msherman_database

Database Best
Practices
IT Partners Conference
4/19/2005
Mike Sherman
[email protected]
My Background

Manager, Applications & Network Services team in the
Department of Facilities.

Member of Departmental Database Application Development
Project (DDADP) team.
http://web.mit.edu/ist/org/admincomputing/notebooks/DDADP/

Background in database application development and support
using multiple technologies (including Oracle, Ingres, Access,
FoxPro, Clipper and 4th Dimension).

13 years of IT @ MIT
Agenda

Database Application Lifecycle

Database Design Tips

Database Maintenance Tips

Q&A
Database Application Lifecycle








Database Planning
System Definition
Requirements Collection & Analysis
Database Design
Application Design
Testing
Implementation
Operational Maintenance
Upfront Work Pays off Later!

Identify the need to be solved by the
application.

Determine if/how the new application will
integrate with existing departmental and
institute systems.

Gather Requirements from management &
users.
Database Design Tips

Choose the right DBMS and development tools

Naming Standards

Use unique identifiers

Significant or non-significant keys?

Minimize Data Redundancy

Ensure Data Integrity / Leverage Existing Data
Example
Additional Design
Considerations

Application Security

Sensitive Data

Feeds to/from Enterprise systems

Leveraging the Data Warehouse
Database Maintenance
Tips

Documentation, Documentation, Documentation

Backups - Hot vs Cold

Indexes

Monitoring – Log files, Performance
Q&A