MACROMEDIA COLDFUSION 4.5-DEVELOPING WEB Develop Manual page 43

Chapter 3: Querying a Database
Data can be organized in multiple tables. This type of data structure is known as a
relational database and is the type used for all but the simplest data sets.
From this basic description, a few database design rules emerge:
Each record should contain a unique identifier, known as the primary key.
This could be an employee ID, a part number, or a customer number. This is
typically the column used to maintain each record's unique identity among the
tables in a relational database.
Once a column has been defined to contain a specific type of information, the
data must be entered in that column in a consistent way.
This is accomplished by defining a data type for the column, such as allowing
only numeric values to be entered in the salary column.
Assessing user needs and incorporating those needs in the database design is
essential to a successful implementation. A well-designed database
accommodates the changing data needs within an organization.
The best way to familiarize yourself with the capabilities of your database product or
DBMS is to review the product documentation.
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