B5 Post - SQL - Chris Sager

Before attempting to understand what SQL is and the data behind it, its important to understand what exactly is “Data”. Simply put, data can be described as facts related to any object in consideration. For example, data specific to myself would consist of my name, age, height, weight, and more. This is not to say data has to be textual either. Other forms of data can be images, files, PDF’s, audio clips, and more. Now that we are aware of what data examples are, its important to understand what databases are as well. When collecting data without a database to store it inside of, its too random to understand. A database is simply a systematic collection of data. Its organization makes data management easy. 

Digging deeper into databases and the use of relational databases specifically [2], lets consider Blogger. A service like this needs to store manipulate, and present data related to its members, their peers, member activities, messages, advertisements, and much more. Countless other examples of those relational database management (RDBMS) include phone companies, electric companies, universities, etc. So what exactly is relational about this? The answer is arraignment. Rather than taking customer information and throwing it into a file one after the other you are arranging it into data columns. The relational database model takes advantage of this to build completely new tables out of information from existing tables. In short, it uses the relationship of similar data to increase the speed and versatility of the database. The ‘relational” part of the name comes into play actually  due to mathematical relations. Some examples of relational database software include MYSQL, Oracle, MS SQL Server, SYbase, and plenty more.

Based on information gathered from W3Schools website [1], SQL is short for, Structured Query Language and typically pronounced as “See-Quel”. It is the standard language for dealing with these relational databases. SQL language can effectively be used to insert, search, update, and delete database records. Actually though, SQL goes beyond previously listed capabilities. It can also help in the optimizing and maintenance of databases plus more. To perform these commands within a database, syntaxes are put into  use. Most software adhere to the same syntax making SQL so popular, but not everything is the same. A good example of a SQL syntax in use can be seen below. The first query is selecting all the data from a table called “table”. A logic statement is then being queried using a where clause. Generally, the where clause is used to filter records and extract only those records that fulfill a specific criterion. In this cases its where a=a. Finally in the last syntax, you are presented with. a multi statement. this means your asking not one but two things about a set of data. So not only are we being asked to select the table “table”. but we are then asked to drop “table” in the same command. 

This just goes to show you the capabilities of SQL and RDMS. You can imagine when working with vast amounts of information, how easy it is to get lost in it. With these methods of organization and the ability to perform syntax commands on it, individually are easily able to acquire and present filtered information based on end goals.

Sources

[1] “Introduction to SQL." SQL Introduction. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2017. <http://www.w3schools.com/sql/sql_intro.asp>.

[2] “What is RDMS" Database DLR. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2017. <http://www.databasedir.com/what-is-rdbms/>

Peer Responses

I enjoyed reading Taryn Francischetti’s Week 5 Blog Post (here) on the topic of relational databases. It’s such an important topic to understand, especially when I discussed the topic of SQL and how it works. In todays day and age with the vast amount of information floating around, its imperative to understand how certain pieces of information can intertwine. The problems that Taryn discusses can arise with these sorts of databases is interesting. It goes to show you how important it is to have a humans mind behind the information present and their perspective to solve issues like these.

Joe Dressel wrote a nice piece this week about Object Oriented Databases (here). The comparison between relational and object oriented databases which I did not understand is the fact relational databases are comprised of so many tables with information which scattered the information. Object oriented methods try and keep most of the information you require in a single database.

Of course all of this talk regarding databases is important in the construction industry. So much information is shared between individuals in this field to complete projects. David Sanchez makes a good point in discussing this idea (here). Even in coop a lot of the data worked with was primarily in creating proposals and takeoffs in the estimating process. Receiving data from other contractors and translating it to tables so others in the workplace could always refer to it had to be made so simple and easy to get to.