Hands-On Database, 2nd edition

Scenario Approach. It’s easier for students to grasp the concepts behind database design if they see it as a way to solve a particular set of business problems. In order to help give students this kind of context, Conger presents a scenario approach with an emphasis on defining business rules and then testing the database design against those rules.

• Running Case Scenario. The scenario that makes up the body of the book describes Sharon, a database student, in the process of creating a database to manage a school’s tutoring program. The text’s material progresses with Sharon’s experience as she moves through each step of the database building process.
• End-of-chapter Scenarios. At the end of each chapter, after the practices, there are four additional scenarios for students to work through:  

NEW. Show Times: Local Shows and Acts. This scenario gives students the opportunity to see another type of database, one that deals with schedules and involves the interactions between several disparate stakeholders, specifically between artists, venues for the shows and fans. 


The Wild Wood Apartments scenario involves creating a database to manage a chain of apartment buildings. 

Vince’s Vintage Vinyl Record Shop scenario revolves around a small shop owner who needs a database to handle his inventory, sales, and purchases. 

Grandfield College leads students through the process of making a database to track what software the school owns, the licensing for that software, on what machines the software is installed, and what users have access to those machines.   

The WestLake Research Hospital scenario involves creating a database to track a double-blind drug study for a new antidepressant. The forms for the WestLake Hospital scenario were simplified and clarified.

Traditional Chapter Conventions. Aside from the running case on Sharon, this text also presents several in-chapter support features, specifically designed to help students understand the core concepts:

• Things You Should Know. These extended sections provide definitions, explanations, and examples that offer a deeper, more comprehensive context to the things Sharon is doing in the narrative.
• Things to Think About. These sidebars invite students to consider questions about the processes or topics under discussion.
• Cautions. Found in the margins of the text, this feature warns students about potential mistakes or common errors.
• Documentation. Found at the end of each chapter, this feature provides a summary of how students would document the activities conducted during the chapter.
• Things to Look Up. Found at the end of each chapter, this feature guides students to other resources and topics not fully covered in the book.
• Vocabulary. Throughout the text, key words are highlighted in the margins and are repeated in an exercise at the end of each chapter.
• Practices. Found at the end of each chapter, practices are designed to give students hands-on experience with the materials of the chapter. The Chapter 5 practices have been totally redone to provide a better demonstration of each stage of normalization.

Process-driven Model. The material in this text is based on a process-driven model, ensuring that students see the process of developing a database from the beginning through to the final stages.
Normalization. Congers introduces students to the concepts and vocabulary of normalization by discussing the first three Normal Forms.The Chapter 5 practices have been totally redone to provide a better demonstration of each stage of normalization.
SQL Coverage. Chapter 7 of this text contains an extensive introduction to SQL

• A fifth scenario: Show Times: Local Shows and Acts. This scenario gives students the opportunity to see another type of database, one that deals with schedules and involves the interactions between several disparate stakeholders, specifically between artists, venues for the shows and fans.  
• All Screen shots and examples were updated to reflect the most current editions of Microsoft SQL Server, Visio and Office.
• In Chapter 2, a brief discussion of cloud computing, cloud databases, and cloud data services has been added.
• Also in Chapter 2, a note was added about the interview process and the forms for the WestLake Hospital scenario were simplified and clarified.
• The Chapter 5 practices have been totally redone to provide a better demonstration of each stage of normalization.
• In Chapter 7, a new section entitled Advanced SQL, which includes discussion of sub queries, UNION, finding and removing duplicated rows and the use of indexes, has been added.
• Chapter 8 now includes a brief discussion of Big Data and some of its implications for database.