UMBC              Spring 2002
CMSC461        Database Management Systems
Instructor

Dr. Padma Mundur
Computer Science  & Electrical Engineering Department
Office : ECS 217
Phone : (410) 455 3019
Email : pmundur@cs.umbc.edu
Class homepage : http://www.csee.umbc.edu/~pmundur/courses/CMSC461/
Office hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays after class and by appointment

Teaching Assistant

Yong Rao
Office: ECS 334
Phone: (410) 455 2862
email: yongrao1@umbc.edu
Office hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:00pm to 4:00pm  and by email

Meeting Time and Place
Tuesday and Thursday  1:00pm - 2:15 pm     Room SS 207

Important Dates
Midterm Exam : March 21, 2002  (class meeting time)
Final Exam :  May 16, 2002 (1:00 pm to 3:00 pm)
Project Due :  May 9, 2002
Last Day of Class: May 14, 2002

Prerequisites
CMSC 341 -- Data Structures

Required Text
Silberschatz, Korth, and Sudharshan, "Database System Concepts," McGraw Hill Publishers, 4th Edition
Powerpoint slides used in class lectures are available at the publishers web site, http://www.mhhe.com/engcs/compsci/silberschatz/ppt.mhtml

Course Description
This course is meant to be a first course in Databases consisting of topics shown below.
List of Topics:

  1. Data models  -- Entity-Relationship Model, Relational Model
  2. Relational Databases -- SQL, Other Relational Languages, Integrity and Security, Relational Database Design
  3. Data Storage and Querying -- Storage and File Structure, Indexing and Hashing, Query Processing, Query Optimization
  4. Transaction Management -- Transactions, Concurrency Control, Recovery System
  5. Database System Architecture -- System Architectures, Dustributed Databases, Parallel Databases
  6. Object-based Databases and XML -- Object-oriented Databases, Object-Relational Databases, XML
  7. Case Studies and Other Topics
Course Objective
At the end of the course, the student will have developed skills in two areas: i) a fundamental understanding of the theory behind various data models and query languages and of issues related to management of databases including security, recovery, and concurrency control; ii) a practical knowledge in designing and implementing a relational database using modern software tools.

Grading

The student requires a passing grade in EACH of the criteria shown below to pass the course.

There will be 5 homework assignments.  All homework must be done independently.  No late homework is accepted.  Submission of all homeworks is mandatory. There will also be unannounced pop quizzes in class.

You will be required to work on a project requiring substantial work.  Project work requires working in a team of 2-3 students.  A detailed description of the project will be provided on the second or the third week of class. Teams will also be assigned at the same time.  A final project report is due on the date shown above.  A demonstration of the project will be scheduled for each team around the same time.  You are also required to pass intermediate milestones. No late projects are accepted. You will be provided accounts on the Oracle Server from UCS.

Midterm and final exams are closed book and conducted in class during the times shown above. Final exam is comprehensive (but more weightage will be given to topics from second half). Makeup exams and incompletes are allowed only under extraordinary circumstances as per University policy.

Academic Honesty

Each individual is responsible for his or her own homework. Under no circumstances should written or printed materials be shared. With respect to the project, I would like to see a healthy competition among teams to generate innovative ideas and come up with the best project at the end of the semester.  Photo IDs may be required for admission to exams.

By enrolling in this course, each student assumes the responsibilities of an active participant in UMBC's scholarly community in which everyone's academic work and behavior are held to the highest standards of honesty. Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and helping others to commit these acts are all forms of academic dishonesty, and they are wrong.  Academic misconduct could result in disciplinary action that may include, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, suspension or dismissal. To read the full Student Academic Conduct Policy, consult the UMBC Student Handbook.