Designing Databases with Object-Oriented Methods Released by the IEEE Computer Society

Los Alamitos, Calif. December, 2005 — Data modeling and database design are slowly making the transition that programming made a decade ago to object-oriented (OO) techniques. Most software professionals know the basics of OO programming. But using OO methods for designing databases is another story. To fill that need, the IEEE Computer Society has released "Designing Databases with Object-Oriented Methods" as part of its new ReadyNotes collection.

This ReadyNote is intended to be a succinct introduction to using OO methods for designing databases. It assumes familiarity with basic database terminology and some exposure to basic data modeling. It also assumes some sophistication with respect to the programming and design of computer programs. If you’ve worked with database technology and database application programming and want to learn how OO techniques can be of use, this ReadyNote will help.

Written by Robert J. Muller, this tutorial does not assume any particular database management technology; it is about data modeling, not database implementation. Most people implement OO designs with relational technology, not object-relational or OO database technology. Therefore, the section titled “Transforming a Data Model into a Database” assumes relational technology. Getting OO data from relational databases is a problem with many solutions, including commercial and open-source tools. All these tools make their own assumptions about the relational design, so you should consult your tool documentation in tandem with this ReadyNote to understand fully what you’ll need to model.

ReadyNotes is a series of tutorials the IEEE Computer Society has just launched, focusing on hands-on advice for practicing software developers, chip designers, computing researchers, and students. Falling somewhere between academic papers and full-on books in length, these 25,000-word tutorials will be periodically upgraded and available only in PDF form, from http://www.computer.org/readynotes. Other titles will include:

• A Survey of 3D Graphics Software Tools
• IEEE Software Engineering Standards Support for the CMMI Project Planning Process Area
• The Poor Person’s Guide to Estimating Software Costs
• Evaluating Performance in Software Engineering
• Digital Avionics: A Computing Perspective
• Introduction to Python for Artificial Intelligence

About the IEEE Computer Society
The IEEE Computer Society is the world’s leading association of computing professionals with 100,000 members in over 140 countries. Founded in 1946 and today the largest society within the IEEE, this not-for-profit organization is the authoritative provider of technical information and services for computing communities worldwide. It offers a full range of career enhancing products and services through its 124,000-article digital library, 20+ peer-reviewed print publications, distance learning courseware, online technical books, 150 technical conferences, standards development, 32 technical committees, certification for software professionals, 200 local society chapters, awards and scholarships, and much more. Visit IEEE Computer Society at www.computer.org.