Database Design for Mere Mortals: A Hands-On Guide to Relational Database Design [With CDROM]

"This book takes the somewhat daunting process of database design and breaks it into completely manageable and understandable components. Mike's approach whilst simple is completely professional, and I can recommend this book to any novice database designer." -Sandra Barker, Lecturer, University of South Australia, Australia "Databases are a critical infrastructure technology for information systems and today's business. Mike Hernandez has written a literate explanation of database technology-a topic that is intricate and often obscure. If you design databases yourself, this book will educate you about pitfalls and show you what to do. If you purchase products that use a database, the book explains the technology so that you can understand what the vendor is doing and assess their products better." -Michael Blaha, consultant and trainer, author of "A Manager's Guide to Database Technology ""If you told me that Mike Hernandez could improve on the first edition of "Database Design for Mere Mortals" I wouldn't have believed you, but he did The second edition is packed with more real-world examples, detailed explanations, and even includes database-design tools on the CD-ROM This is a must-read for anyone who is even remotely interested in relational database design, from the individual who is called upon occasionally to create a useful tool at work, to the seasoned professional who wants to brush up on the fundamentals. Simply put, if you want to do it right, read this book " -Matt Greer, Process Control Development, The Dow Chemical Company "Mike's approach to database design is totally common-sense based, yet he's adhered to all the rules of good relational database design. I use Mike's books in my starter database-design class, and I recommend his books to anyone who's interested in learning how to design databases or how to write SQL queries." -Michelle Poolet, President, MVDS, Inc. "Slapping together sophisticated applications with poorly designed data will hurt you just as much now as when Mike wrote his first edition, perhaps even more. Whether you're just getting started developing with data or are a seasoned pro; whether you've read Mike's previous book or this is your first; whether you're happier letting someone else design your data or you love doing it yourself-this is the book for you. Mike's ability to explain these concepts in a way that's not only clear, but fun, continues to amaze me." -From the Foreword by Ken Getz, MCW Technologies, coauthor "ASP.NET Developer's JumpStart ""The first edition of Mike Hernandez's book "Database Design for Mere Mortals" was one of the few books that survived the cut when I moved my office to smaller quarters. The second edition expands and improves on the original in so many ways. It is not only a good, clear read, but contains a remarkable quantity of clear, concise thinking on a very complex subject. It's a must for anyone interested in the subject of database design." -Malcolm C. Rubel, Performance Dynamics Associates "Mike's excellent guide to relational database design deserves a second edition. His book is an essential tool for fledgling Microsoft Access and other desktop database developers, as well as for client/server pros. I recommend it highly to all my readers." -Roger Jennings, author of "Special Edition Using Access 2002 ""There are no silver bullets Database technology has advanced dramatically, the newest crop of database servers perform operations faster than anyone could have imagined six years ago, but none of these technological advances will help fix a bad database design, or capture data that you forgot to include "Database Design for Mere Mortals(TM), Second Edition," helps you design your database right in the first place " -Matt Nunn, Product Manager, SQL Server, Microsoft Corporation "When my brother started his professional career as a developer, I gave him Mike's book to help him understand database concepts and make real-world application of datab