Normal forms
2005-10-03 Filed in: databases
There's
this big issue of "normalizing" a database design -
it comes up all the time (if you're into modeling
information that lives in the real world, that is).
It has implications for how data is stored,
consistency, redundancy, and performance. In short:
it's impoitant
...
I'd like to be able to take existing (filled!) data tables and play around with alternate representations, while at the same time exploring the implications for performance and the impact on normalization. Drastic changes, sort of like a "refactoring browser for data" - preferably in a highly visual manner.
Have not found such a utility so far.
Maybe one day, the views and relational algebra of Vlerq will make it possible to support such a data model evolution tool. The dynamics of views, and derived views (also blocked views, as first explored in Metakit) ought to be up to the task.
Days are too short!
I'd like to be able to take existing (filled!) data tables and play around with alternate representations, while at the same time exploring the implications for performance and the impact on normalization. Drastic changes, sort of like a "refactoring browser for data" - preferably in a highly visual manner.
Have not found such a utility so far.
Maybe one day, the views and relational algebra of Vlerq will make it possible to support such a data model evolution tool. The dynamics of views, and derived views (also blocked views, as first explored in Metakit) ought to be up to the task.
Days are too short!