What ia an ERD. Define the RED related terms, including entities, attributes, cardinalities and relationships
An entity relationship diagram (ERD), also known as an entity relationship model, is a graphical representation that depicts relationships among people, objects, places, concepts or events within an information technology (IT) system. An ERD uses data modeling techniques that can help define business processes and serve as the foundation for a relational database.
Importance of ERDs and their uses
Entity relationship diagrams provide a visual starting point for database design that can also be used to help determine information system requirements throughout an organization. After a relational database is rolled out, an ERD can still serve as a reference point, should any debugging or business process re-engineering be needed later.
However, while an ERD can be useful for organizing data that can be represented by a relational structure, it can't sufficiently represent semi-structured or unstructured data. It's also unlikely to be helpful on its own in integrating data into a pre-existing information system.
How to create an ERD
ERDs are generally depicted in one or more of the following models:
A conceptual data model, which lacks specific detail but provides an overview of the scope of the project and how data sets relate to one another.
A logical data model, which is more detailed than a conceptual data model, illustrating specific attributes and relationships among data points. While a conceptual data model does not need to be designed before a logical data model, a physical data model is based on a logical data model.
A physical data model, which provides the blueprint for a physical manifestation -- such as a relational database -- of the logical data model. One or more physical data models can be developed based on a logical data model.
There are five basic components of an entity relationship diagram. Similar components will be designated by the same shape. For example, all entities types might be enclosed in a rectangle, while all attributes are enclosed in a diamond. The components include:
Entities, which are objects or concepts that can have data stored about them. Entities refer to tables used in databases.
Attributes, which are properties or characteristics of entities. An ERD attribute can be denoted as a primary key, which identifies a unique attribute, or a foreign key, which can be assigned to multiple attributes.
The relationships between and among those entities.
Actions, which describe how entities share information in the database.
Connecting lines
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