DBM 380 Wk 2 Discussion – Databases vs. Spreadsheets/Relationships

Post a total of 3 substantive responses over 2 separate days for full participation. This includes your initial post and 2 replies to other students.

Due Thursday

Respond to one of the following in a minimum of 175 words:

Discuss the differences between storing data in a spreadsheet verses storing data in a database.

• In what business scenarios might one approach be superior to the other?
• What are the pros and cons of each approach?
• Why do you think many businesses today use both spreadsheets and databases to manage their data?

OR

Share at least one real-world example of the following types of data relationships:

• 1:1
• 1:M
• M:N (many-to-many)

Your example can be from work, school, a hobby, or daily life.

Discuss why you think making the distinction between these types of relationships is important for database designers. How does each of these types of relationships affect the complexity of storing and retrieving data? How do database architects apply the concepts of primary and foreign keys to each type of data relationship?

Due Monday

Then respond to two of your peers, comparing the example you presented with the one each of your peers presented. What are the similarities and differences between the two? Be constructive and professional in your responses.