What Is Database Design, Anyway?

Since databases are at the center of the IT world, their proper design would seem to be paramount. And yet, some of the popular references on database design theory and design best practice show a curious lack of understanding by the IT industry at large. In this O’Reilly report, C.J. Date—a prominent researcher and consultant specializing in relational database theory—clarifies exactly what database design is, or ought to be.

After providing concise definitions of physical and logical database design, Date dives deeper into the subject of logical design. Specifically, he covers concepts such as table predicate, business rule, uncontrolled redundancy, and consistency. Once you digest this report, you can find more detailed information in Date’s book Database Design and Relational Theory: Normal Forms and All That Jazz (O’Reilly, 2012).

C.J. Date has a stature that is unique within the database industry. He is a prolific writer, and is well known for his best-selling textbook An Introduction to Database Systems (Addison Wesley).