COT7710

File organisation and database systems

6 points
* 4 hours per week
* First, second semester
* Caulfield
* Prerequisites: COT7700 and SYS7500

Objectives At the completion of this subject students should be able to use a relational database management system; appreciate the types of file organisation and access methods that can be implemented on secondary storage devices; and appreciate the features of database management systems.

Synopsis Data organisation and storage: serial and sequential files (sorting, merging, updating, blocking). Randomly addressable secondary storage: suitable media, disc addressing, disc directories. Random files: key transforms, relative files, allocation of file space, overflow techniques. Indexed files: indexed random files, indexed sequential files, access methods, index trees. Logical data organisation: trees networks, lists, rings. Database: the database concept, database models, relational data model. Using SQL: data definition commands, retrieval commands, security commands, data dictionary commands, embedded commands.

Assessment Examination (2 hours): 50%
* Practical work: 50%

Prescribed texts

McFadden F R and Hoffer J A Modern database management 4th edn, Benjamin Cummings, 1994