• SQL History in brief
• SQL Standardization
• Database and DBMS
• Inside of the Database
• Summery

The aftermath of the publication of Edgar F. Codd’s papers introducing the relational model and relational languages (Algebra&Calculus) were a great deal of activity in the commercial and research communities to develop implemented versions of relational languages. There are three must important languages to come out of this effort. These are

• SQL (Structured Query Language) previously used as a Structured English Query Language (SEQUEL). The reason was change the acronym, SEQUEL was a trademark of the UK-based Hawker Siddeley aircraft company.
• QBE (Query-by-Example)
• QUEL (Query Language)

SQL and QBE both originated at International Business Machines (IBM) during the seventies and perform many similar functions, although SQL is a textual language while QBE is graphical. QUEL is the original language of INGRES, a relational database management system developed during the seventies at the University of California, Berkeley.

As a DBMS, IBM released SQL/DS, which is a commercial database management system (DBMS) that supports SQL. In 1983, IBM released SQL as.

Edgar F. Codd

In 1986, the first ANSI standard for SQL was approved (SQL87). This standard was later revised (modestly) in 1989 and (significantly) in 1992. SQL is seems likely to remain, the only ANSI standard relational database language. Moreover, SQL is the de facto standard in business, since it is by far the relational language of choice in commercial systems. Numerous vendors have released implementations of SQL since 1980. Changed first version in 1989 as a Minor revision, but it helps to change the Major revision. Finally second version has been come out in 1992. In 3^rd version in 1993 Added regular expression matching ⁽¹⁾, recursive queries, triggers, support for procedural and control-of-flow statements, non-scalar types, and some object-oriented features and Introduced XML-related features, window functions, standardized sequences, and columns with auto-generated values (including identity-columns) in year 2003.

In 2006 ISO/IEC 9075-14:2006 defines ways in which SQL can be used in conjunction with XML last year Legalizes ORDER BY outside cursor definitions, add INSTEAD OF triggers. Add the TRUNCATE statement.

Some of readers can be asked why the standards updating last few years too fast than early nineteen’s. The reason was now in most of computer systems using Database Management System as a resource collector and Database size increase daily transaction occurs and the Database user requirements also increase day by day. All common features, functions, keywords and all other related things control under standards. So requirement changes very short period, standards also change in the short term.

Famous DBMS software and vendors

Before the Database systems evolved, data in software systems was stored in and represented using flat files. It is just like someone keeping few files for few letters in real world (separate file for each letter).

There were major Drawbacks in File-Based Systems

• Data Redundancy and Inconsistence
• Unanticipated Queries
• Data Isolation
• Concurrent Access
• Anomali Security Problems
• Integrity Problems

There were few database models as a result of those issues. The model in most common use today is the relational model. Other models such as the hierarchical model and the network model use a more explicit representation of relationships.

• DBMS Software and versions can be use free of charge.
• MySQL Community Edition (Latest 5) (Open Source)(http://www.mysql.com)
• MS Office Access 2007 60 days trial version. (http://www.Microsoft.com/Office)
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005/2008 Express Editions (http://www.Microsoft.com/sql)
• PostgreSQL version 8 (Open Source http://www.postgresql.org
• SQLite (Open Source http://www.sqlite.org)
• OpenOffice.org Base (Open Source http://www.openoffice.org)

Hope you can install Microsoft Access 2007, when you haven’t license don’t worry about it. You can use 60 days trial version to learn.  Fist you have to install Microsoft Office package if you are not installed. You can use Access 2003 too, but didn’t installed sample database you have to download manually from Microsoft web site.

You can see left side task pane with some links when you opened MS Access 2007 window. Select ‘Sample’ and click on Northwind 2007 Icon in next pane.

Select the path and give name for you database and create the copy of Northwind sample database.

When you create, MS Access gives security warning. Reason is this sample database contains few Visual Basic Macros, hope you know about Macros (hint: Google -> Macros).  Click on options and enable it and press ok on the screen

After enable the Macros you can see simple login window. Log in to the system.

Now you can see the sample data in Northwind Traders and also go through the sample Application and check what and which features and which data was there and put your sample data and enjoy.

SQL standards Structured Query Language and it uses database systems and it is standardized. Users can be downloaded from most of database management systems such as proprietary and open source free of charge. Before use Databases used file based data storage mechanism to store the application data. Microsoft Office Access 2007 is one of database management system (DBMS) version and you can use Northwind database to learn basics in DBMS.

Drop a mail to mail@harshana.net for more clarifications.