B5 - Week 6 - Databases in Construction Firms

The first database was created in conjunction with the large server 60s, for example, the IBM System. They were not the height of today's PCs, these databases required a highly specialized personnel. Although the hardware of old computers was unreliable, extremely slower and had less storage capacity, one of the database resources is still attractive: the data access by multiple users over a network.

In the 70s scientists formed the theory of relational databases. On the basis of this theory IBM and Oracle databases were created, being developed and used today. In the late 70s the first PCs were constructed. Their users could utilize many types of applications, including those used for building databases.

When they reached the large databases in companies, the situation has not changed: they still require powerful computers or computer complexes called clusters. This will, however, beyond the scope of this manual.

Currently in the corporate world, the constant need for managers make crucial decisions for the good business enterprises, information is their most precious possession. With the large and growing volume of data, it becomes important to choose a good database system, because factors such as treatment, safety and speed can determine the success or failure of an organization.

The creation of a database helps to organize the statistics, and they come to provide a wide range of sectoral, demographic, national and regional accounts, which allow builders have solid subsidies to study the economic feasibility of real estate projects.

The entrepreneur construction will have access to better information organized to verify the economic viability of a business, for example. The goal is for the database to become a reference tool for the entire production chain, are companies or professionals.

Comments:

Jinhao Liang: He discussed, among other topics, about the computer-aided design (CAD), and explained how this technique is widely used in many crucial areas such as automotive, shipbuilding, aerospace industries, architectural design and so forth.

Mark Bancroft: He wrote about the use of databases in design offices, focused on the use of databases with AutoCAD. The benefit is the ability to assign data to an object such as price, and the ability for multiple users to access the database.

Abdulghani Albaloushi: He talked about the Microsoft Access, that is a database management system from Microsoft Office. It stores all data in its own format based on the Access Jet Database Engine, which is a database engine on which several Microsoft products have been built. He doesn't have experience with Microsoft Access, only with Excel.

References:

José Gonçalves, Éder. "Análise De Desempenho Entre Os Bancos De Dados SQL Sever X Oracle." Linha De Código. 1 Jan. 2115. Web. 10 Feb. 2015. <http://www.linhadecodigo.com.br/artigo/2412/analise-de-desempenho-entre-os-bancos-de-dados-sql-sever-x-oracle.aspx>.

Week 6 Post - Castonguay - Group A

Relational Database Theory

In 1970, a mathematician working at IBM named Edgar F. Codd published a paper that would change the future of technology. His paper showed how information stored in large databases could be accessed without knowing where the information was in he database or how it was structured. Basically, his paper brought up he new ides of relational databases. Before this time, databases were used in a predictable way that retrieved the same information over and over again. Only computer specialists were able to get specific information from computers. After Codd, any person could now get information from computers without knowing where it came from on the computer. his made people more able to focus on what hey were doing rather than accessing the information on their computers. After Codd published this theory, it needed to be tested. Many companies promoted it and much research was put into it. Following, many different types of relational databases were invented such as System R, SQL, and DB2. The DB2 family of relational databases handles billions of transactions every day and is one of IBM's most successful software products. Because of his ideas, Codd was named an IBM fellow and the Turing Award, which is considered the "Nobel Prize of computing."

A relational database organizes information on computers based on the relational model of data. Data is organized into one or many tables of rows and columns where each row has a unique key. In a database, each entity type has its own table with rows and columns. The rows represent the instances of that entity and the columns represent the attribute values describing each instance. Rows in other tables can be linked to each other with their unique keys. This is done by storing he original row's unique key as an attribute of the secondary row. In relational databases, rows are contain "tuples" and columns contain "attributes". The figure to the left shows how users interact with a relational database.

In relational database theory, there are five normal forms. These forms represent guidelines for record design and are designed to prevent update anomalies and data inconsistencies. The first normal form deals with the "shape" of a record type. The second and third normal forms deal with the relationship between non-key and key fields. The fourth and fifth normal forms deal with multi-valued facts which could correspond to a many-to-many relationship or a many-to-one relationship.

Comments

Kaili Yue- I really enjoyed your graphic showing what a relation, attribute, and tuple are. It helped me visualize the organization of relational databases much better!

J Schwakoff - I think your post helped me understand relational databases more than anything I found online. This was a difficult topic for me to completely grasp and you explained it in a much more understandable way than most!

Catherine Stephens - I learned about tab delimited files in your post, which were used before relational databases. Here, each entry was separated with a vertical bar. It is clear to notice how hard it would be to search for specific information in a file like this.

Resources

Kent, William. "A Simple Guide to Five Normal Forms in Relational Database Theory." Bkent.net. 1996. Web. 09 Feb. 2015.

 "The Theory of Relational Databases." IBM.com. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.

Relational Databases - Leonard Knittel

Relational database theory refers to databases built around a collection of related tables, known as relations.  Each relation is made up of a series of related data which is stored in rows and columns.  The relational model for database management was proposed by Edgar F. Codd in 1969, and was designed to provide a declarative method for specifying data and queries.  This means that the users of the database directly state what information the database contains and what they want it to retrieve for them.  The database’s software will then take care of describing the data structure and retrieving the information for the user. 

Relational databases are designed to use a certain data type, which can include a set of integers, character strings, a set of dates, true or false, or any number of user defined data types.  A tuple in a relational database is basically a row, and the data in a tuple is referred to in the database by its attribute name.  The equivalent of a column in the database is the attribute, and its data is referred to by the attribute value.  Together, attributes and tuples hold data which makes up the relation’s body, along with the heading, which is the structure definition for the table. 

Almost all relational databases currently in use, use Structured Query Language (SQL) as the language for querying and maintaining the database, which does not strictly follow the relational model, but still uses many of the same concepts.  Also, although SQL was developed for use by the end-users of the databases, many programs have software which will embed the SQL queries for the data users are trying to access, making it much simpler for lay-people to use and access the data contained within databases.  One example of this happening is searching Wikipedia.  When a search term is typed into the search bar, Wikipedia embeds the data in SQL and uses it to retrieve the correct data from its servers to display. 

Comments:

Kaili Yue – I thought it would be interesting to hear more about the development of databases at IBM and how they have progressed since the DB2 in 1983.

Catherine Stephens – You talk about the terms relation and table not being synonymous, however, because relation model is only theoretical and the relational databases are only based off of it, I feel that they are both synonymous, since they do perform many of the same functions and could certainly be compared to one another.

Sources:

Wikipedia contributors. "Relational model." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 28 Nov. 2014. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. "Relational database." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2 Feb. 2015. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.

B5: Use of databases in design firms Group D

My only experience with a formal database in a design firm was on my first co-op with the Philadelphia Water Department. Though not technically a design firm (I worked in the plan review department), the principles are the same and I can easily see how they can be adapted to a design based application.

The database we used had all projects that had ever been reviewed by the department cataloged in it and ran on Microsoft Access. There were buttons that would open an Explorer window to the location of that folder on the network drive, as well as creating specific forms and exhibits for the final approval back to the client. Contact links were included in another portion of the screen, which listed the people the employees in the department were allowed to discuss the project with (typically just owner and engineer). There were input cells that listed the project address, site specific details, and other information that I've since forgotten by now (to be fair, it wasn't the most mentally stimulating work and I left that job 3 years ago).

This database was quite simple to use for day-to-day operations, as well as adding entries. The only tricky bit was making sure any folder created for a project was a direct copy of the generic folder. Any changes to the file structure inside this folder would confuse the database whenever it tried to access information for output. Even so, it vastly simplified the amount of time spent looking for specific projects and enabled faster work flow during the day.

The last firm I worked at was actually a design firm, and I guarantee it had a database of common blocks, title blocks, and project folder creation. The difference in the two firms was that I had no hand in the creation and maintaining of the database, since a more qualified technical team operated that for the entire company. This makes sense, since my last company was a world-wide company and letting a co-op mess around with company standards probably would have had more of a negative affect on that scale, as opposed to the PWD office, which was only about a dozen employees or so. However, the databases used at my last firm were of utmost help, enabling title blocks of any size to be created for any project with a simple click of a button. Additionally, various standard CAD details were available online and could be dropped into drawings with all necessary properties with no effort at all. In short, I think databases really help streamline the design process, by ensuring everyone drafts at the same standards with ease and speed.

Comments
Anthony: I found your post extraordinarily information. I don't know very much about databases function and had no idea the difference between object oriented databases and relational databases. Your post was able to break down the differences in each in a simple manner and helped me understand a bit more of the fundamentals of database design.

Angie: Your discussion on the use of databases in construction is quite detailed and got me thinking about how much the industry has changed over the last several decades with the developments. Much like we discussed in class about Revit eliminating the need for drafters in favor of more skilled workers to manage a model, databases are slowly reducing the need for people to look up cost estimates in a book and instead creating the need for people to accurately program databases. While a good database drastically reduces the amount of work in cost estimation by allowing a single person to plug in the materials/labor/unit items etc., they only work as well as the people that actually write and code them. I wonder if a point will ever be reached in which cost estimation database development plateaus, and databases cannot get any better. Then the only work on them would be to update the inputs with different numbers and costs and let the machine do the rest.

Santiago: I thought your discussion on flat vs. multidimensional databases was interesting. I have a friend who has on multiple occasions tried to explain database computer programming to me, and I just never seem to get it. The idea that CAD files, spreadsheets, and the like are "flat" makes much more sense, since they can physically be represented in a single table. Adding other dimensions (parameters) makes the file much more complex, similar to the many layers in a GIS database, or the families in Revit.

B5 - Week 6 - Hamad Al-Sulaiti - Group E

Uses of Databases in Construction Firms

Databases in construction firms have not been developed until the 1960’s, where Edgar Codd has proposed the first navigational database to organize the data and save them from corruption. By having an organized collection of data, a modeling of this organized data has been created to save users money and time. A simple example of that use of this database system is the hotel vacancies. Databases can include how many rooms are available in a building, how many of them are occupied and who is occupying them. By having all of this data arranged at one place, hotel staff would have an easier job to track down how many rooms are vacant to adjust night rates based on the demand on the rooms.

In almost every organization, databases are highly preferred by owners. Organizations might include anything from small shops, to leading firms. But if we are to look at it from our experience, we will find that database management system is very helpful in the engineering field. It would be much easier for contractors to have a database system that list all the materials needed for a project including, the quantity of those materials associated with their cost. A lot of other information can be added to a project’s database system involving schedule and items that need replacement. Programs for MEP engineers now can estimate the tolerance and resistibility of pipelines when applying different pressures and loads. Without having the entire database that includes the resistibility of those pipelines, MEP engineers in construction firms will spend a lot of time estimating where to locate those pipes based on the different loads they would have.

Database system can also help contractors to know how many labors they need for a project, and how much each labor costs. By having all of this data listed, the working hours of those labors can be adjustable based on the budget and the schedule of that project. I must say that databases in construction firms have made much easier jobs now. Managing a site has been much more controllable and safe with this kind of management system.

Comment on Angelina Castro:

It is very interesting to compare the use of database system and the reference books that has RM means. I would like to also add that database system have helped construction firms not only to estimate the cost, but to also what type of material to include in a specific area of a project. Having the quantity listed with its unit price will help contractors to choose alternative provider of those items when they are too expensive.

Comment on Abdulghani Albaloushi:

It is very interesting to know about the database system used in Microsoft Access. If I were to compare my topic with yours, I would say that database help a lot of construction firms in all the fields. Microsoft Excel is one of the thousand other programs that organize that data and represent it in a simple form. I also liked how you mentioned the disadvantage of Microsoft Excel including that lack of performance and the memory size that it has.

Comment on Santiago Uribe:

I was very interested to read about different topics regarding databases, and I have chosen to make a comment your post because I was very interested on how you brought an example from an article regarding BIM databases.  After I have personally used the BIM modeling program, I have noticed that I can create a schedule that lists all of the features used in the design. In result, it calculates how much a building can cost by the time the design is completed. Without having this database system in design offices, designers will spend a lot of time estimating the cost after listing the unit price of each feature added to the designed building.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database

B5: Week 6 Blog Post - Group B

SQL - What is it? Why is it important?

SQL better known as Structured Query Language is a type of programming language utilized in the management of data contained in a relational database management system otherwise known to the everyday user as a "database".  SQL is based on aspects of both relational algebra as well as tuple calculus.  Though data definition and manipulation languages, SQL allows for data to be stored and organized within a database.  

Within SQL there are various attributes that allow its diverse scope to be represented and used for both language purposes as well as procedural elements.  SQL was developed at IBM in the 1970’s by Donald D. Chamberlin and Raymond F. Boyce.  Their initial program was called SEQUEL (Structured English QUEry Language) and it was used as an intercompany device that allowed data retrieval from IBM’s database management system “System R”.  As technology in this field advanced its practicality as a system became more well-known and started spreading across the electronic world. 

SQL is made up of various syntax, operators, language elements, and procedural extensions, but most importantly SQL is in charge of how we interact with programs and even the internet.  SQL gives us the ability to gather, organize, and filter information in a database in a quick and efficient manner, or in simpler words, SQL allows us to create tables with organized data based on operators and queries used to filter the information. 

With SQL, as well as any data management program, there are various advantages and disadvantages to using the programming.  Advantage wise SQL runs at a rather high speed in the sense that they can access and manage large amounts of data quickly and efficiently within a database.  In addition, well defined standards exist that have been nationally adopted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).  Technology advancements have also allowed for the emergence of Object Oriented DBMS which are more advanced the traditional relational databases.  Disadvantage wise the largest problem faced with SQL is not understanding how to interface with a database using SQL language.  Using SQL requires extensive knowledge of the language and its inner workings, so it is slightly more complex than just importing a few lines of code in order to manage data.  While SQL is important to database systems, it is only just a fraction of what goes into interacting with database technology, therefore it is important to make an attempt to understand all aspects of database technology for future use!

REFERENCES
http://www.cs.iit.edu/~cs561/cs425/VenkatashSQLIntro/Advantages%20&%20Disadvantages.html
http://www.iheavy.com/2011/06/05/sql-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-important/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL

COMMENTS
Dmitriy Voznyak
Dmitriy provided a well-written, in-depth explanation of not only SQL, but gave a great background on the history of database technology as well.  I like that he included an example of how SQL is used and an output table.  It was helpful in visualizing an aspect of SQL and further solidifies its usefulness.

Young Kwang Lee
I like that Young provided information more on the innerworkings and functions of SQL.  Furthermore I like that he addressed that he does not have previous database knowledge.  It shows that he is willing to learn more about it, and will be able to take something out of the blog post process for this week.  I myself have very limited database knowledge, so I am looking forward to learning more about the topic.

B5 - Week 6 Blog Post - Group E, Alex

What is a database?

A database is an resource in which you can store data in a well structured way . These data should be able to be used by programs for different users. A database allows you to put data available to users for a query, an introduction or an update, ensuring the rights assigned to them. This is especially useful when the computer data are becoming more numerous. A database can be local, that is usable on a machine by a user or shared, means that information is stored in remote and accessible by network machines. The essential advantage of the use of databases is the possibility to be accessed by multiple users simultaneously.

In the construction firms the Database is used in several programs. For example, the BIM program used by these firms have their proper database, which allow users to select specific types of materials previously stored in the database. The local server has his database to allow employees have their own Data at the server. Also it can be used for share information about materials in which you need to buy or sell, now a days not only the construction firms, but also a great majority of companies has their own database software with vital information for that company.

Comments:

Kevin Saldivar:
Good topic, you explained that there are different types of Database and you explain the advantages in use the Object oriented database management systems.

Abdulghani Albaloushi
I've always thought that we could use Excel to create databases as well. good job explaining how the users of access thinks it's a very good program. I share your thoughts that creat a well organized database can reduce the complexity of these bigger projects.


Mark Bancroft
Good topic explaining the relationship between Autocad and database.  Also, you explain about several tools that could be use in the construction field such as add prices to objects or give multiple access to  projects which really is some interesting tools.