Database Normalization

by Dinesh Thakur

Normalization is the process of removing redundant data from your tables in order to
improve storage efficiency, data integrity and scalability. This improvement is balanced
against an increase in complexity and potential performance losses from the joining of
the normalized tables at query-time. There are two goals of the normalization process:
eliminating redundant data (for example, storing the same data in more than one table)
and ensuring data dependencies make sense (only storing related data in a table). Both
of these are worthy goals as they reduce the amount of space a database consumes and
ensure that data is logically stored.

WHY WE NEED NORMALIZATION?

Normalization is the aim of well design Relational Database Management System

(RDBMS). It is step by step set of rules by which data is put in its simplest forms. We
normalize the relational database management system because of the following reasons:

Minimize data redundancy i.e. no unnecessarily duplication of data.

To make database structure flexible i.e. it should be possible to add new data
values and rows without reorganizing the database structure.

Data should be consistent throughout the database i.e. it should not suffer from
following anomalies.

Insert Anomaly - Due to lack of data i.e., all the data available for insertion
such that null values in keys should be avoided. This kind of anomaly can
seriously damage a database

Update Anomaly - It is due to data redundancy i.e. multiple occurrences of

same values in a column. This can lead to inefficiency.

Deletion Anomaly - It leads to loss of data for rows that are not stored else where.
It could result in loss of vital data.

Complex queries required by the user should be easy to handle.

 On decomposition of a relation into smaller relations with fewer attributes on
normalization the resulting relations whenever joined must result in the same
relation without any extra rows. The join operations can be performed in any
order. This is known as Lossless Join decomposition.

The resulting relations (tables) obtained on normalization should possess the

properties such as each row must be identified by a unique key, no repeating
groups, homogenous columns, each column is assigned a unique name etc.

ADVANTAGES OF NORMALIZATION

The following are the advantages of the normalization.

More efficient data structure.

Avoid redundant fields or columns.

More flexible data structure i.e. we should be able to add new rows and data
values easily

Better understanding of data.

Ensures that distinct tables exist when necessary.

o Easier to maintain data structure i.e. it is easy to perform operations and complex
queries can be easily handled.
o Minimizes data duplication.
o Close modeling of real world entities, processes and their relationships.

DISADVANTAGES OF NORMALIZATION

The following are disadvantages of normalization.

o You cannot start building the database before you know what the user needs.
o On Normalizing the relations to higher normal forms i.e. 4NF, 5NF the performance
degrades.
o It is very time consuming and difficult process in normalizing relations of higher
degree.
o Careless decomposition may leads to bad design of database which may leads to
serious problems.

How many normal forms are there?

They are

First Normal Form

Second Normal Form

Third Normal Form

Boyce-Codd Normal Form

Fourth Normal Form

Fifth Normal Form

Sixth or Domain-key Normal form

What do we mean when we say a table is not in normalized form?

Lets take an example to understand this,

Say I want to create a database which stores my friends name and their top three
favorite artists.

This database would be quite a simple so initially Ill be having only one table in it say
friends table. Here FID is the primary key.
This table is not in normal form why?

FavoriteArtist column is not atomic or doesnt have scalar value i.e. it has having more
that one value.

Lets modify this table

This table is also not in normal form why?

We have now changed our table and now each column has only one value!! (So whats
left?)

Because here we are having multiple columns with same kind of value.

I.e. repeating group of data or repeating columns.

So what we need to do to make it normal or at least bring it in First Normal Form?

1. Well first break our single table into two.

2. Each table should have information about only one entity so it would be nice if we
store our friends information in one table and his favorite artists information in
another

(For simplicity we are working with few columns but in real world scenario there could
be column like friends phone no, email , address and favorites artists albums, awards
received by them, country etc. So in that case having two different tables would make
complete sense)
FID foreign key in FavoriteArtist table which refers to FID in our Friends Table.

Now we can say that our table is in first normal form.

Remember For First Normal Form

Column values should be atomic, scalar or should be holding single value

No repetition of information or values in multiple columns.

So what does Second Normal Form means?

For second normal form our database should already be in first normal form and every
non-key column must depend on entire primary key.

Here we can say that our Friend database was already in second normal form l.

Why?

Because we dont have composite primary key in our friends and favorite artists table.

Composite primary keys are- primary keys made up of more than one column. But there
is no such thing in our database.

But still lets try to understand second normal form with another example

This is our new table

In about table ITEM+SUPPLIER together form a composite primary key.
Lets check for dependency

If I know gadget can I know the cost?

No same gadget is provided my different supplier at different rate.

If I know supplier can I know about the cost?

No because same supplier can provide me with different gadgets.

If I know both gadget and supplier can I know cost?

Yes than we can.

So cost is fully dependent (functionally dependent) on our composite primary key

(Gadgets+Supplier)

Lets start with another non-key column Supplier Address.

If I know gadget will I come to know about supplier address?

Obviously no.

If I know who the supplier is can I have it address?

Yes.

So here supplier is not completely dependent on (partial dependent) on our composite

primary key (Gadgets+Supplier).

This table is surely not in Second Normal Form.

So what do we need to do to bring it in second normal form?

Here again well break the table in two.
We now how to normalize till second normal form.

But lets take a break over here and learn some definitions and terms.

Composite Key: -Composite key is a primary key composed of multiple columns.

Functional Dependency When value of one column is dependent on another

column.

So that if value of one column changes the value of other column changes as well.

e.g. Supplier Address is functionally dependent on supplier name. If suppliers name is

changed in a record we need to change the supplier address as well.

S.SupplierS.SupplierAddress

In our s table supplier address column is functionally dependent on the supplier

column

Partial Functional Dependency A non-key column is dependent on some, but not

all the columns in a composite primary key.

In our above example Supplier Address was partially dependent on our composite
key columns (Gadgets+Supplier).

Transitive Dependency- A transitive dependency is a type of functional

dependency in which the value in a non-key column is determined by the value in
another non-key column.

With these definitions in mind lets move to Third Normal Form.

For a table in third normal form

 It should already be in Second Normal Form.

There should be no transitive dependency, i.e. we shouldnt have any non-key

column depending on any other non-key column.

Again we need to make sure that the non-key columns depend upon the primary key and
not on any other non-key column.

Although the above table looks fine but still there is something in it because of which we
will normalize it further.

Album is the primary key of the above table.

Artist and No. of tracks are functionally dependent on the Album(primary key).

But can we say the same of Country as well?

In the above table Country value is getting repeated because of artist.

So in our above table Country column is depended on Artist column which is a non-key
column.

So we will move that information in another table and could save table from redundancy
i.e. repeating values of Country column.

Differentiate between DBMS and RDBMS.Types of DBMS.

by Dinesh Thakur

DBMS stand for Database Management System, which consist n number of tables
there is no relationship between another table. RDMBS stand for Relational
Database Management System, which having the relationship with other tables. The
Relationship between tables in DBMS is Physical and the relationship in RDBMS is
Logical.

DBMS does not support Data Integrity and RDBMS support Data integrity. RDBMS
support Structural Independence and Advanced Query Capabilities while DBMS does
not support this. DBMS does not support Security while RDBMS supports Security on
Databases. You can not share data between.

Types of DBMS

A Database management system is a hardware/software system that consists of a

database and necessary programs to carry out database management activities
rolled in one. Users do not have to interact with the data files directly but through a
language interface. Using a database management system for data storage and
manipulation relieves the users from the bookkeeping responsibilities.

For simple data manipulation users do not have to write programs, instead the
programs are already written in the database which can be invoked by user by
issuing one or more command in a database language. For more complex
manipulations programming interface is also included in a DBMS.

Most of the currently popular DBMS have more complex architecture. Moreover not
only human users but other programs also can interact with the DBMS. In this
arrangement the database is commonly known as back-end while the user program
is called front-end. Front-end applications can be designed to suite any individuals
or organisations specified data-interaction needs.

With Different types of DBMS can take different approaches manage the data? Each
approach constitutes a database.

Major database model types are:

1. Hierarchical data model

2. Network Database model
3. Relational Database model
4. Object oriented database model
5. Deductive database model

What are INTANCES, SCHEMAS AND SUBSCHEMA in DBMS?

by Dinesh Thakur
Database changes over time when information is inserted or deleted. The collection of
information stored in the database at a particular moment is called an instance of the
database. The overall design of the database is called the database schema.

A schema diagram, as shown above, displays only names of record types (entities) and
names of data items (attributes) and does not show the relationships among the various
files.

The schema will remain the same while the values filled into it change from instant
to instant. When the schema framework is filled in with data item values, it is
referred as an instance of the schema. The data in the database at a particular
moment of time is called a database state or snapshot, which is also called the
current set of occurrences or instances in the database

In other words, "the description of a database is called the database schema, which is
specified during database design and is not expected to change frequently". A displayed
schema is called a schema diagram.
A schema diagram displays only some aspects of a schema, such as the namer. of record
types and data items, and some types of constraints. Other aspects are not specified in
the schema diagram. It does not specify the data type of each data item and the
relationships among the various files.

Subschema

A subschema is a subset of the schema and inherits the same property that a schema
has. The plan (or scheme) for a view is often called subschema. Subschema refers to an
application programmer's (user's) view of the data item types and record types, which
he or she uses. It gives the users a window through which he or she can view only that
part of the database, which is of interest to him. Therefore, different application
programs can have different view of data.