Mission Critical: Database Design

There is nothing like a checklist to make sure you've completed all the tasks in designing a database, and there is absolutely nothing like Buck Woody's military-style Critical Task List

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CTL10.04.001

Revision 11/10/2009 A

SQL Server 2008

Database Design

CRITICAL TASK LIST PROGRAM

This document contains steps that will assist you in designing a database for SQL Server 2008 RTM Enterprise Edition (non-clustered) operations. It defines the basic steps for creating a database design, and should be used as a starting point.

Review each item, placing a check in the “Confirmed” column when the task line is complete. Any line not marked “Confirmed” should stop the process until you have completed that line item.

This CTL is not meant to be a replacement for the official documentation from the product manufacturer.  

CTL NUMBER

This Critical Task List is identified by a CTL number in the upper right-hand side of this document. You should use the latest CTL (identified by the date and an alpha-numeric code.

HOW TO BE ASSURED OF HAVING LATEST DATA

You can add additional information to this checklist based on your organization’s need.

CONTENT

Critical Task List 10.04.001 contains steps required to create a good database design on a SQL Server 2OO8 system. Other system and environmental factors will dictate changes to this CTL as well as additional steps that you should follow for your database design tasks.

All content is the sole responsibility of the server owner; Microsoft Corporate provides no warranties implied or implicit in this document. This document is not a product of the Microsoft Corporation. 

SUPPLEMENTS

Official Site Link: http://www.simple-talk.com/author/buck-woody/

Whenever you receive a supplement affecting your checklist, write in the appropriate information. Printed replacement checklist pages will be made available to you as quickly as possible. A notation on the bottom inside corner of these pages will indicate that they reflect certain supplements.

COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS

Comments and questions should be directed through buck.woody@microsoft.com.

Critical Task Lists Managers

Buck Woody “Real World DBA”(MSFT U.S.).

Task

References

Confirmed

Obtained Business Requirements from submitting organization

http://bit.ly/8CP0a

Developed further questions from Business Requirements.

http://bit.ly/8CP0a

Submitted questions to originator and received responses.

http://bit.ly/34XJrB

Meeting held with development and organization team to agree on final requirements.

http://bit.ly/34XJrB

Nouns decomposed from finalized Business Requirements document.

http://bit.ly/34XJrB

Nouns grouped into logical entities.

http://bit.ly/34XJrB

Verbs Decomposed from finalized Business Requirements document.

http://bit.ly/34XJrB

Initial logical Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) created.

http://bit.ly/4B2RIZ

http://bit.ly/3KYeaB

Logical ERD developed into 3rd Normal Form (3NF).

http://bit.ly/3KRfep

http://bit.ly/1srGVh

Data Types Determined for each entity.

http://bit.ly/3YtvGn

Primary and Foreign Keys defined.

http://bit.ly/2cCvCp

http://bit.ly/349Nt

Unique and other constraints defined from finalized Business Requirements document.

http://bit.ly/21SrHd

Security plan developed from finalized Business Requirements document.

http://bit.ly/XrlbO

Physical design created from finalized ERD.

http://bit.ly/1Ecr4R

File Storage choices created and finalized.

Finalized design tested with top-20 queries from each entity.

http://bit.ly/4wJdLz