Huffman Trucking: Database Design and Development

hurry head HUFFMAN TRUCKING Huffman truckage Database apprehensionion and Development Huffman transport push throughed out as a single owner, single truck and trailer, operational in the Cleveland Ohio argona fundament in 1936 doing local contract hauls. To mean solar day, Huffman truckage is a National carrier with 1,400 employees, 800 tractors, 2,100 trailers, and 260 roll-on/roll-off units, operating from 3 logistical hubs decided in Los Angeles, California, St. Louis, Missouri, and Bayonne, New Jersey and its central alimony facility located in Cleveland Ohio (Apollo aggroup Inc. , 2005).With the growth through the years, Huffman Trucking has maintain their competitiveness by being an perseverance leader in leveraging engine room to the maximum to provide customer answer and business efficiencies (Apollo crowd Inc. , 2005). In the g overnment agency to maintain this competitiveness, Huffman Trucking hired smith Systems Consulting to have a report of entities and attributes that entrusting be needed for a dart Truck alimentation Database. Upon receipt of smiths report detailing the entities and attributes needed, our IT overcomeenger vehicle submitted a Service Request SR-ht-003 to excogitate a Fleet Truck Maintenance Database.In the following paragraphs LTA ordain discuss the entropybase architecture briefly and base linchpins, which play a vital role in an Entity-Relational Database. The discussions of the assorted types of mistakes that atomic outcome 18 made in the use phase that led to a ugly database send off atomic number 18 overly discussed. Mistakes embarrass the drop of c arful proviso, right-hand(a) normalization of data, poor naming conventions, lack of capable documentation and extensive testing. The ERD for the database depart be revealed along with the choice of the program to serve the database and allow for versatility for various platforms, applications, and device characteristics.Huffman Truckings fleet truck maintenance records argon fairly straight-forward, therefore, a basic database founding architecture is recommended as a start in the entry of discip field of operation, and importing of ongoing database records into the new basic database. By commencement simple, this database can be upgraded over time, as the comp all grows and the fleet grows. The of the essence(p) items to pick up when forming a new database implicate ease of use for the users, the production of interrogation reporting, as well as financial records, fall ins governs, maintenance records, and purchase rders. A good model and a correct database intention form the foundation of an information arranging. Building the data layer is oft the first critical step towards implementing a new system, and getting it right requires management to detail and a whole bundle of advertent readiness. A database, kindred either computer system, is a model of a small piece of the realistic world. And, like any model, its a sign representation that disregards some(prenominal) of the complexity of the real thing (Malone, 2007). A ancient cay, which is a record or an attribute, uniquely identifies a remit.Primary recognizes make mapping relational data simple, in order to uniquely strike each entry in the database. The concept of some sort of unique grade is common in database calculative exploitation account numbers to trace part numbers, vendor numbers, and maintenance work orders. These argon also known as instinctive keys, common entities that argon use to uniquely signalise objects. Generally, if the data that is being sculpted has a decent natural key, or identifier, that information should not be used as a primary key.Natural keys should not be used as primary keys, as the purpose of the primary key is to uniquely identify a look upon in a database record. several(prenominal) primary key characteristics are the primary key must be able to identif y each row in a give in. The primary key should not expound the characteristics of the entity. A part number ID of 2566 is commonly preferred over Air strain. The pry of a primary key should neer change. Changing a primary key value means changing the individuation of an entity. Changing the identity is not advised. Non-intelligent keys are preferred be trend they are less belike to change.For example, the part number 2566 for an Air extend for one model of truck, and the part number of 2560 would be an Air Filter for another(prenominal) model of truck. To spend a penny just a part number of Air Filter would be too ambiguous, and could result in lost time trying to locate the correct air filter for a specific model of truck. Those part numbers, in general would most likely never change over time, therefore, are stovepipe to use as primary keys in a database of part numbers. Primary keys should have the smallest number of attributes possible.It is easier to manage unique keys that are numeric. Items to Consider During jut out Phase Several things that are easy to overlook during the database image surgery include design and planning of the database, normalization of data, skimpy naming conventions, documentation, and testing. A brief run- floor of these common errors during the design phase of a database is listed below. By itemization them now, it can be used as an potent guideline to follow when designing the database for Huffman Truckings Fleet Maintenance. trope and Planning of the DatabaseGood databases are designed with careful thought, and with the proper care and attention habituated to the needs of the data that give be part of it. Since a carefully constructed database is at the heart of every business protrusion, insufficient planning and detailing of the needs of the project could cause the whole project to have its direction and purpose. Additionally, by not pickings the time at the beginning, any changes in the database str uctures that may be needed to be made in the emerging could cause devastating consequences on the whole project, and greatly augment the likelihood of the project timeline slipping.If the planning phase is rushed, problems will inevitably arise, and because of the lack of proper planning and design, there is normally no time to go derriere and fix any issues properly. That is when the hacking starts, with the veiled cry to return and fix things later, something that happens very rarely indeed (Davidson, 2007). normalization of Data Normalization defines a set of standards to break bundle tables into their basic parts until each table represents only one thing, and its columns fully pass the only thing that the table represents.Normalizing the Huffman Truckings data is alpha to check off proper performance and ease of future development projects. Insufficient appellative Conventions Naming conventions are most the important line of documentation for any application. What is important to canvass is the importance of consistency. Names should be kept simple eyepatch at the analogous time, identifying their purpose to the data being entered. support Not only will a well-designed database conform to certainly quality tandards, it will also contain definitions and examples about its tables, so that its purpose is clear to everyone on how the tables, columns and relationships are intended to be used. The goal of proper documentation should be to provide abounding information for a support coder to find any bugs and fix them easily. test As more Information engineering professionals know, the first thing to be infernal when a business system starts caterpillar track slow is because the database can get bogged down with fragmented information, or too frequently information.Deep knowledge of the system is the best personal manner to dispel this notion Unfortunately, testing is the commonly one of the things to go in a project when time starts to run out. What is important to consider in this whole process is that deep system testing is through with(p) to make sure that the design is implemented correctly. The first real test is for any database is when it goes into production, and users attempt to do real work. And if the system does not work fast enough, or contains bugs when it goes live, past more work will have to done on a live system, which could inherently cause the expiration of r level(p)ue of any company.By insisting on strict testing as an important aspect of database development, then perhaps the day will come when the database will not be the first thing to be pointed out when the system slows down. In order to accomplish the goal of establishing a operating(a) database that Huffman can use now and in the future to potently manage their data, it is recommended that Huffman Trucking decide to use MySQL. There are many an(prenominal) great things about MySQL, including the incident that MySQL is very popul ar among web applications and acts as a database for a multitude of platforms.Some of these platforms include FreeBSD, BSDi, AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Novell NetWare, OS/2 Warp, Solaris, i5/OS, Windows 95, Solaris, Windows 98, SunOS, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. MySQL is popular among brusk source code and bug track tools such(prenominal) as Bugzilla as well. MySQL is compose in C and C++. Libraries that are used to access MySQL databases can be found in many of right aways programming languages by development language specific APIs. There is also an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) that allows additional programming languages to promulgate with MySQL, including ColdFusion or ASP.MySQL shoot a lines options that are not in many other RDBMSs. One birth that is not included in many RDBMSs is multiple reposition engines. This experience allows for a user to select the most effective entrepot engine for each table in the application. Another great featur e that MySQL bids is native retention engines. These are retentiveness engines that are create by MySQL and are optimized for specific application storage domain. They offer data warehovictimization, data archiving, high approachability clustering, and many more features. MySQL recently developed a new advanced transactional storage engine called Falcon.Falcon was designed for modern day corporations and web applications which makes it perfect for Huffman Trucking. One feature not to be overlooked is the approachability of Partner-developed storage engines. Search engines that are fellow developed are developed obtain outside companies, but they are then highly tested by MySQL in order to check off workability and compatibility with MySQL. MySQL also has abrupt source programmers that are independent and develop storage engines. These are used as well, but only after they pass MySQL rigorous inspection and testing.Customers are even developing and designing community storag e systems. Commit separate is a MySQL feature that allows for the gathering of multiple transactions. This is done from a multitude of connections in order to increase the number of commits per second. Conclusion In coda the Fleet Truck Maintenance Database will be easy to use, provide effective tracking of finances, maintenance, and queries. The primary key(s) used in the database will have the following characteristics be a single attribute, uniquely identify an entity, be non-intelligent, not change over time and be numeric.This will ensure the ease of normalizing the database during the design phase to encumber update anomalies when database is implemented. LTA discussed several mistakes that occur during the design phase in order to debar the same mistakes. These mistakes include poor design/planning, ignoring normalization, poor naming standards, lack of documentation and testing. The DBMS of choice for Huffman Trucking is MySQL. MySQL will effectively manage our data whil e allowing many different platforms to interact with the database.MySQL is indite in C and C++. However, MySQL offers much versatility in programming languages by using language specific APIs or ODBC to allow additional programming languages such as ASP or Coldfusion. MySQL has many options that other RDBMSs do no get such as multiple storage engines, open source programmers, commit grouping and more. Bottom line is that MySQL offers versatility for our database to allow for go on growth, updates and changes in our companys needs. References Apollo Group Inc. (2005). Huffman Trucking.Retrieved October 1, 2008, from Huffman Trucking Intranet https//ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/Business/Huffman/HuffmanHome002. htm DavidsonL. ,(2007). hug drug Common Database Design Mistakes. Simple-Talk. com. RetrievedSeptember29,2008,fromhttp//www. simple-talk. com/sql/database-administration/ten-common-database-design-mistakes/ MaloneM,(2007). Im Mike. Database Design Choosing A Pr imary Key. RetrievedOctober1,2008,fromhttp//immike. net/blog/2007/08/14/database-design-choosing-a-primary-key/