Implementation of a Student Information Database for Digital Bridge Institute

ABSTRACT Effective management of large amount and different types of data encountered in daily operations is a major challenge facing academic institutions. Traditional paper based operation is not only costly, but also ineffective. Based on the requirements of the Student Records Office, a student information management system (SIMS) is designed and implemented for Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) in this work. The system is developed to provide DBI with a means to effectively manage its information. It minimizes the need to maintain hard copy files as it stores, sorts and compares data relevant to all DBI students. The DBI SIMS also provides a secure interface for DBI Staff to directly access all aspects of students’ academic records. The SIMS is designed using Microsoft’s Structured Query Language Server 2005 (MSSQL Server 2005). A generic database system was first designed using the five standard phases of Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC), definition, requirements, evaluation, design and implementation phases. The DBI SIMS database was subsequently developed from the designed generic database system using web utility classes developed specifically for the database. DBI Students Record Office staff were used to confirm the viability of SIMS following a test run of the system.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page……………………………………………………………………i

Approval Page……………………………………………………………….ii

Certification…………………………………………………………………iii

Declaration…………………………………………………………………..iv

Dedication…………………………………………………………………...v

Acknowledgement…………………………………………………………...vi

Abstract……………………………………………………………………....vii

Table of contents……………………………………………………………..viii

List of figures…………………………………………………………………xi

List of tables…………………………………………………………………..xii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………....1

1.2 Problem Statement……………………………………………………......2

1.3 Aim and Objectives……………………………………………………….2

1.4 Scope of the study………………………………………………………...3

1.5 Outline of Thesis………………………………………………………......3

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CHAPTER TWO: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

2.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………..4

2.2 Evolution of Database Technology………………………………………...6

2.3 The Database Management System………………………………………..9

2.4 Classification of Database Systems………………………………………...12

2.4.1 Hierarchical Database Model…………………………………….12

2.4.2 Network Database Model………………………………………...15

2.4.3 Relational Database Model……………………………………….17

2.4.4 Object Oriented Database Model…………………………………20

2.5 Comparison of Database System Model……………………………………21

2.6 Information Management Systems…………………………………………25

2.7 Types of Information Management Systems……………………………….25

2.7.1. Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)…………....25

2.7.2. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)…………………………….26

2.7.3. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)………………………….26

2.7.4. Building Information Modeling (BIM)………………………….26

2.8 Justification of Database Structure Used in Thesis………………………...27

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

3.1 Overview………….………………………………………………………..28

3.2 System Investigation Process….....………………………………………...30

3.3 Data Collection, Logical Analysis and Design………………………….....31

3.4 System Design and Implementation of DBI SIMS………………………..44

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CHAPTER FOUR: TESTING AND RESULTS

4.1 System Testing...……………...………………………………………..........52

4.2 Results…………………………………………………………..…...............52

4.3 Pilot Strategy and System Maintenance……………………………………..54

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

5.1 Summary……………………………………………………………………..55

5.2 Contribution to Research………………………………………………….....55

5.3 Suggestions for Future Work………………………………………………...56

5.4 Conclusions…………………………………………………………………..57

REFERENCE…..................................................................................................58

Appendix A Coding for the Database and Application...…..................................60