THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2019/2020

University Homepage
DRPS Homepage
DRPS Search
DRPS Contact
DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Informatics : Informatics

Postgraduate Course: Advanced Databases (Level 11) (INFR11011)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Informatics CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Year 4 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryThis course studies the data structures and algorithms underlying modern database management systems. It covers a wide range of topics and techniques such as storage architecture, data models (row, columnar), indexing (tree-based, hash tables), transaction processing (ACID, concurrency control), crash recovery, and parallel architectures (multi-core, distributed).
Course description This course will cover the following topics:
* Data models and data management systems architectures
* Storage: secondary-storage devices
* Indexing: tree-based and hash-based techniques
* Query evaluation: sorting and join processing, selection, projection, aggregation
* Query optimisation: cardinality estimation, cost-based query optimisation, dynamic programming, rule-based optimisation
* Transaction management: ACID properties, concurrency control, locking and multi-version protocols, crash recovery
* Distributed database systems: parallel query evaluation, distributed transaction processing.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed Database Systems (INFR10055) OR Database Systems (INFR10070)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements This course is open to all Informatics students including those on joint degrees. For external students where this course is not listed in your DPT, please seek special permission from the course organiser.

The course assumes an understanding of algorithms and data structures (e.g., quick sort, merge sort, binary trees, hash tables, big-O notation).

A good level of programming is assumed and will not be covered during lectures. The coursework will involve implementing query processing algorithms in the context of a database system written in C++.
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesThis course is open to all Informatics students including those on joint degrees. For external students where this course is not listed in your DPT, please seek special permission from the course organiser.

The course assumes an understanding of algorithms and data structures (e.g., quick sort, merge sort, binary trees, hash tables, big-O notation).

A good level of programming is assumed and will not be covered during lectures. The coursework will involve implementing query processing algorithms in the context of a database system written in C++.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2019/20, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 20, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 5, Summative Assessment Hours 2, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 71 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 70 %, Coursework 30 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) The coursework consists of one programming assignment where students will design and implement components of a database management system, experimentally evaluate their work, and write a report on their findings.
Feedback The course includes at least two pieces of formative assessment, one programming assignment and at least one homework assignment, submitted during the semester with feedback returned within two weeks.
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Understand how database management systems function internally.
  2. Interpret and comparatively criticise database systems architectures.
  3. Implement major components of a database management system and analyse their performance.
  4. Understand, analyse, and compare the fundamental query evaluation and concurrency control algorithms.
  5. Identify trade-offs among database systems techniques and contrast distributed/parallel techniques for OLTP and OLAP workloads.
Reading List
* Raghu Ramakrishnan and Johannes Gehrke, Database Management Systems (Third Edition) McGraw-Hill 2003.
* Various papers available on the topics of the syllabus.
Additional Information
Course URL http://course.inf.ed.ac.uk/adbs/
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsDatabases
Contacts
Course organiserDr Milos Nikolic
Tel: (0131 6)51 7112
Email: milos.nikolic@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Clara Fraser
Tel: (0131 6)51 4164
Email: clara.fraser@ed.ac.uk
Navigation
Help & Information
Home
Introduction
Glossary
Search DPTs and Courses
Regulations
Regulations
Degree Programmes
Introduction
Browse DPTs
Courses
Introduction
Humanities and Social Science
Science and Engineering
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Other Information
Combined Course Timetable
Prospectuses
Important Information