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ISEDJ 4(111)

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ISEDJ 4(113)

Volume 4, Number 112

November 8, 2006

10 pages 511 K bytes

How Valuable is Planned Data Redundancy in Maintaining the Integrity of an Information System through its Database Eghosa Ugboma Florida Memorial University Miami Gardens, FL 33054 USA

Abstract: Although planned (controlled) data redundancy increases the distribution of redundant data to a very meager degree, this type of redundancy most often involves few columns of database data files that supports an information system and helps to enforce the integrity of the information system. The effectiveness of an information system depends largely on the database that supports the information system. This paper discusses the importance of planned data redundancy and how it is implemented in assisting an information system to be deemed effective in generating the required data and information to its intended users. Due to their unique functions and for easy understanding, this paper uses the primary keys and foreign keys columns to demonstrate how planned data redundancy is implemented to help maintain the validity of the data pool that an information system needs to produce the desired information. First normal form (1NF), third normal form (3NF), fourth normal form (4NF), and the Redundant Data technique of denormalization process are the yardsticks used to illustrate how controlled data redundancy is generated, in which keys’ columns it occurs, and its benefits to information systems. Planned data redundancy is classified into two groups, namely, internal controlled data redundancy and external controlled data redundancy. To understand their formation and how they are used to maintain the integrity of a database and uphold the reliability of the information system that uses the database, normalization and normal forms as well as denormalization are discussed at the elementary level.

Keywords: planned data redundancy, redundancy, normalization, normal Forms, denormalization, database, data pool, data files

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