July 1, 2024
Simply put, a database is a software product used for managing data in a secure and organized digital format. In a world that runs on data, having an effective and efficient database is critical for the success of your business. The process of designing and implementing a database management system is referred to as database management life cycle. Before you invest in setting a database, you should have a proper understanding of each phase including how database developer proceeds their project. Further, it would be best if you understood how the phases align with your business objectives.
The planning phase is perhaps the most important as it sets the stage for all the following phases and the overall design and functionality of your database. At this stage, the designer will examine the current system, looking out for the weaknesses that will inform the objective and the scope of the database design.
While analyzing the company situation, the objectives, organization structure, and how key operational components in the company interact with each other are considered. Thereon, the designer defines the problems within the scope of the company’s operations. The problem identified then informs the objectives and the scope and boundaries for the system to be developed. The scope will help inform the data structures required, the size of the database and the entities to be included, among others. Further, the scope will inform the software and hardware components needed for the database.
In the opinion of the custom software development company in Singapore that is informed by the analysis in the initial phase. The design should be in sync with the objectives of the company and should also solve the problems identified. The designer should pay keen attention in this phase to ensure the design meets the client’s requirements and, most importantly, the design addresses the needs of the users.
Citation from the Ultimate Guide Offshore Software Development The third phase involves implementing the design specification of the database is a vision of data risks. These include the attributes, views, tables, indexes, domains, performance guidelines, security features and storage. Some key steps here include:
When you get to this stage, you have a fully functioning database that addresses the objectives of your database management and conforms with the design in phase two. During implementation, security, performance, recoverability and the coherence of the key components of the database were brought together. To evaluate how effectively they function and whether they address the set objectives, testing and evaluation is necessary and this happens at this stage.
The testing serves to help fine-tune the database to ensure its performance is as expected. Also, this stage is crucial in identifying the gaps and weaknesses in the database and how to bypass them. Some of the key elements to focus on in this phase include:
Performance
How effective is the database? How fast is the system? Ideally, a database management system should improve the processes and speed of processing data.
Ease of use
Get some users to test the system’s performance and friendliness. Getting their insights and perspectives is important for identifying the weaknesses in the design and also suggested improvements to be included in the overall design of the database management system.
Security
Test the effectiveness of the security features in the system. Data protection should be at the core of the system’s design. Ensure that the primary and foreign key commands for protecting data integrity in the database management system are functional. Some focus areas include access rights, password security, data encryption and physical security checks, among others.
Holistic evaluation of the database and application components
After evaluating the individual components, also have a look at how they all function together. Ensure that all the components interact seamlessly and conveniently. Additionally, test the data backup and data recovery systems for assured protection in case of a security breach or accidental data loss.
After addressing all the issues that emerge during the evaluation stage, the next stage is putting the system into full use. Ideally, any weaknesses in the system should have been addressed and the system should be working smoothly. However, errors and technical issues may arise and that is where the next stage of the development cycle comes in.
The job of a developer is not done after implementing the database. They should be available to handle any technical issues that may arise post-implementation. Some of the key maintenance services they should be able to provide include:
Read this also: Top 10 Reasons Why Outsourcing Software Development Is Right For You
The success of your database development project is predicated on how effectively you can follow this cycle. Every stage is important. As a developer, you should invest in understanding all the elements at each stage and strive towards following the processes keenly through your projects.
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