Database Design for Mere Mortals, Second Edition

Database Design for Mere Mortals, Second Edition
by Michael Hernandez
Copyright 2003
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company

Find out more about this book, or purchase it, from Amazon.com

Whether you are a fairly new DBA, or even a fairly experienced DBA, it is important that you have a good understanding of database design. While you have probably read about the basics of database design and are familiar with the basics of normalization, this is not enough if you want to successfully performance tune your databases.

One of the bigger reasons people complain about database speed is because of bad database design. Good database design is hard to come by because most people think it is easy and don't think of it as a hard or difficult subject, which it really is. Many developers create database designs with little thought as to performance. Because of this, their database designs are inefficient and slow.

Of all the many database design books on the market, this is probably the best for beginners. Although it is not specific to SQL Server, it doesn't have to be. Good database design applies to all database programs, not just SQL Server.

Here's what the book covers:

• The Relational Database

• Design Objectives

• Terminology

• Conceptual Overview

• Starting the Process

• Analyzing the Current Database

• Establishing Table Structures

• Keys

• Field Specifications

• Table Relationships

• Business Rules

• Views

• Reviewing Data Integrity

• Bad Design--What Not to Do

• Bending or Breaking the Rules

If you haven't taken the time to really learn what good database design is all about, then you need to get this book, read it, master it, and then apply what you have learned to help assist you in your database performance tuning efforts.

Note: Be sure you purchase the new, Second Edition of Database Design for Mere Mortals. The new edition has been rewritten for clarity, includes more examples, and now includes a CD with many examples. Since its first edition in 1997, this book has become a classic in the area of database design.