Chapter List

Overview

Describing how to tune a relational database model would not be complete without a description of Normalization.

I have attempted to simplify Normalization. When I was at University I simply ignored the accepted, stated rules of Normalization and did as I had been doing for the 3 years before. I worked with a relational database data dictionary based application. I found the rules of the five Normal Forms to be obtuse, over complicated, and simply impossible to decipher at first glance. The response of a college student first reading the descriptions of each Normal Form is usually, "Huh"? I probably read those rules two or three times and wondered what all the fuss was about.

So let's try to simplify Normalization.

1.1 A Layman's Approach to Normalization

Application of the relational database model to a data set involves the removal of duplication. Removal of duplication is performed using a process called Normalization. Normalization comprises a set of rules called Normal Forms. Normalization is applied to a set of data in a database to form tables or entities. Tables are for placing directly associated data into. Tables can be related or linked to each other through the use of key or index identifiers. A key or index identifier identifies a row of data in a table much like...