COT4700

Formal methods in database systems

A Zaslavsky

6 points
* 4 hours per week
* First, second semester
* Caulfield

Objectives This subject will prepare students to address challenging research problems, adequately classify those, and apply appropriate tools and formal methods to describe and solve those problems. On completing the course students will be familiar with the currently available data models and formal methods for database related research; have developed practical skills in the use of these models and approaches, so that they will be able to select and apply the appropriate tools and methods for a particular problem; also be aware of the current research directions in the field and their possible outcomes.

Synopsis The subject will deliver the fundamentals and theoretical foundations of database systems to honours and postgraduate students pursuing degrees in information technology. Specific topics include relational query languages, static analysis and optimisation, semantic data models, database constraints and dependencies, datalog semantics, complex and incomplete values in databases, functional and temporal dependencies, spatial databases, formal definition of object-oriented databases, dynamic aspects of database systems, active databases, advanced transaction models and formalisms, simulation methods in databases, database concurrency theory and recovery. Individual lectures will also include analysis and discussion of recent research papers from database related journals and conferences.

Assessment Research papers and literature survey: 50%
* Oral presentations: 15%
* practical work: 35%

Recommended texts

Abiteboul S, Hull R and Vianu V Foundations of databases Addison-Wesley, 1995
Kim W (ed.) Modern database systems: The object model, interoperability, and beyond Addison-Wesley, 1995
Larson J Database directions: From relational to distributed, multimedia and object-oriented database systems Prentice-Hall, 1995
Zaniolo C and others Advanced database systems Morgan Kaufmann, 1997