Product Description

Information Modeling and Relational Databases provides an introduction to ORM (Object Role Modeling)-and much more. In fact, it's the only book to go beyond introductory coverage and provide all of the in-depth instruction you need to transform knowledge from domain experts into a sound database design.

Inside, ORM authority Terry Halpin blends conceptual information with practical instruction that will let you begin using ORM effectively as soon as possible. Supported by examples, exercises, and useful background information, his step-by-step approach teaches you to develop a natural-language-based ORM model and then, where needed, abstract ER and UML models from it. This book will quickly make you proficient in the modeling technique that is proving vital to the development of accurate and efficient databases that best meet real business objectives.

* The most in-depth coverage of Object Role Modeling available anywhere-written by a pioneer in the development of ORM.
* Provides additional coverage of Entity Relationship (ER) modeling and the Unified Modeling Language-all from an ORM perspective.
* Intended for anyone with a stake in the accuracy and efficacy of databases: systems analysts, information modelers, database designers and administrators, instructors, managers, and programmers.
* Explains and illustrates required concepts from mathematics and set theory.
* Via a companion Web site, provides answers to exercises, appendices covering the history of computer generations, subtype matrices, and advanced SQL queries, and links to downloadable ORM tools.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #859570 in Books
• Published on: 2001-06-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 761 pages

Book Information
Information Modeling and Relational Databases provides an introduction to ORM (Object-Role-Modelling) and much more. In fact, it's the only book to go beyond introductory coverage and provide all of the in-depth instruction you need to transform knowledge from domain experts into a sound database design. This book is intended for anyone with a stake in the accuracy and efficacy of databases: systems analysts, information modellers, database designers and administrators, instructors, managers and programmers.

About the Author

Dr. Terry Halpin is a professor at Northface University. He has led database research teams at several companies including Visio Corporation and Microsoft Corporation, where he worked on the conceptual and logical database modeling technology in Microsoft Visio for Enterprise Architects. His publications include over 100 technical papers and five books.

Customer Reviews

Good, but ....
I read this to find out about ORM (Object Role Modelling), which it certainly covers very well. It not only tells you about the ORM notation, but also teaches you how you should be using ORM for data modelling. It seems very thorough, building up from basics to the more complicated stuff, and even has exercises at the end of each section to aid your understanding. It is also a worthwhile read for anyone who needs to design databases, regardless of whether you believe that you are going to use ORM, since in the database design process we all do data modelling and the principles in this book are universally applicable.

The book also covers allot more than just ORM, and again assumes that you know very little, so starts from basic concepts. For instance, it gives you an introduction to SQL and basic set theory.

However, for me, there is a problem with this book because I was comfortable with allot of the basic concepts and wanted to speed read/skip chunks. Unfortunately, the book it written in such a way that it is almost impossible to skip anything. It feels like a transcript of a University degree course and you can imagine Mr Halpin lecturing word for word from it. Because of this I found it became a chore to wade through these large indigestible chunks of text.

However, if you are just after instruction in ORM, you can skip quite a few whole chapters.

You can skip the first 2 chapters unless you really want to convince yourself for the case for formal data modelling and for the need for ORM.

Chapters 3 - 7 are the essential read, and covers all of ORM and its usage.

I skipped the chapters 8 on ER modelling, and most of the chapter 9 on UML which are largely justifications of why ORM is better for data modelling.

The chapter 10 on Relational Mapping is also worth reading, although I suspect that experienced database designers will think that much of what it covers falls into the 'common sense' category.

Chapters 11 onwards can also be skipped.

All in all that makes only 308 pages out 700, which isn't too bad.

The book has further convinced me that ORM is the way to go for data modelling, and will be looking to introduce this into our design process.

Good content. Disliked the style.
I read this to find out about ORM (Object Role Modelling), which it certainly covers very well. It not only tells you about the ORM notation, but also teaches you how you should be using ORM for data modelling. It seems very thorough, building up from basics to the more complicated stuff, and even has exercises at the end of each section to aid your understanding. It is also a worthwhile read for anyone who needs to design databases, regardless of whether you believe that you are going to use ORM, since in the database design process we all do data modelling and the principles in this book are universally applicable.

The book also covers a lot more than just ORM, and again assumes that you know very little, so starts from basic concepts. For instance, it gives you an introduction to SQL and basic set theory.

However, for me, there is a problem with this book because I was comfortable with much of the basic concepts and wanted to speed read/skip chunks. Unfortunately, the book is written in such a way that it is almost impossible to skip anything. It feels like a transcript of a University degree course and you can imagine Mr Halpin lecturing word for word from it. Because of this I found it became a chore to wade through these large indigestible chunks of text.

However, if you are just after instruction in ORM, you can skip quite a few whole chapters.

The book has further convinced me that ORM is the way to go for data modelling, and will be looking to introduce this into our design process.

Thorough ORM Training and more
Reading this book I learnt a lot about ORM, as well as "modelling thinking" in general. And it helps with think patterns for connecting Business views with DataBase solutions. It's worth the time reading it thoroughly. To me it's a competence injection type of reading.