Overview

Modern databases typically have very large data holdings and are faced with completing huge numbers of transactions. Effective administration is needed to ensure databases function at their optimum against organisational requirements. This unit aims to deliver a set of concepts and tools that can both enable and improve database administration. Students will use these approaches to both setup and assess design and implementation options that improve databases performance. Typical performance problems will be investigated and remedied using appropriate tuning options. The potential of distributed databases, replicated databases, and data warehouses will be explored.

Requisites

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Apply concepts and techniques for completing key database administration tasks
  • Analyse an organisation’s database performance requirements and recommend strategies for improvement
  • Individually and collaboratively use database performance tuning tools to optimise database performance
  • Evaluate the distribution of databases over multiple servers within an organisation with particular reference to performance improvement

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Lecture
2.00 12 weeks 24
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Tutorial Labs
1.00 12 weeks 12
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Independent Learning
9.50 12 weeks 114
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
AssignmentGroup 20 - 30% 1,3 
AssignmentIndividual 20 - 30% 1,2,3,4 
ExaminationIndividual 40 - 60% 1,2,3,4 

Content

  • Database configuration, management and file structures
  • Scripts, commands, and edits
  • User management, roles and privileges
  • Performance requirements, tuning, and query optimisation
  • Database risk management, security, backup, and recovery
  • Distributed databases, replicated databases, data warehouses, and reporting databases

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.