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Database Design

If you need a database for an application, whether it be web, Windows or whatever, EGN can design one that is robust, stable, extensible, consistent, rapid, functional and information rich.

The data model

The data model underpins the system. Get it wrong and you have a system that could be inefficient, unreliable, costly and damaging to your business. The key to an effective data model lies in the design. And the key to the design lies in understanding the client’s business processes and always incorporating the following factors:

Granularity

Break data down and store it at its lowest level of detail (make it atomic).

Redundancy

Eliminate redundancy. There should be no duplication of data.

Organisation

Structure and organise the model to maximise the efficiency of manipulating and querying the data. Take into account processing capacity and usage patterns when building the physical data model.

Integrity

Ensure that data relationships and dependencies are extensible and cannot be broken. Build validation rules into the database model wherever the database management system allows.

Scope

Allow for future extension of the data model without having to restructure the existing model.

Consistency

Use consistent naming conventions, data types, field lengths and constraints throughout the model. Ensure they will work on both Unix/Linux servers and Windows servers (where applicable).