Database develop. life cycle - Maintenance
Maintenance
Databases are one of the more enduring software engineering artefacts; it is not uncommon to find database implementations whose use can be traced back for 15 years or more. Consequently, maintenance of the database is a key issue.
Maintenance can take three main forms:
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Operational maintenance, where the performance of the database is monitored. If it falls below some acceptable standard, then reorganisation of the database, usually in the form of adjustments to the storage schema, takes place to ensure that performance is maintained at an acceptable level.
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Porting and implementation maintenance, in which the DBMS, the user processes, the underlying computer system or some other aspect undergoes changes that require the database implementation to be revised. Of course, the extreme form of porting occurs when the database is to be entirely replaced – in which case the entire development life cycle is usually followed using the existing database and its limitations as the starting point for requirements analysis. Adjustments to the storage schema are almost inevitable as new data storage capabilities become available. This can involve both restructuring and reorganisation, depending on the scope of the changes taking place.
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Requirements change, where the original requirement specification changes, usually because databases are frequently used for purposes for which they were not originally designed. This involves restructuring and typically involves a ‘mini life cycle’ related to the development of changes to meet the new requirements.
If we follow the three-schema architecture approach we would hope to minimise the impact of change and build systems which are easily maintained.
