Advances in Data Management

• Credit value: 15 credits at Level 7
• Module convenor and tutor: Professor Peter Wood
• Prerequisites: a module in database systems (e.g. as taught in a typical UK undergraduate computer science degree); knowledge of computer programming
• Assessment: coursework (20%) and a two-hour examination (80%)

This module examines the technologies underlying modern data management systems. It studies advanced aspects of query processing, transaction management, distributed data management, and recent developments in web data, big data and alternative database architectures.

Indicative Module Syllabus

• Review of the fundamental principles of database management systems, relational databases and SQL
• Query processing and query optimisation
• Transaction management: ACID properties, concurrency control, recovery
• Beyond records and objects: stored procedures and functions, triggers, semantic technologies
• Distributed databases: data fragmentation and replication, distributed query processing, distributed transaction management
• Linked data
• Parallel databases
• NoSQL/NewSQL stores
• Graph databases

By the end of this module, you should be able to demonstrate knowledge of advanced aspects of databases and recent advances in data management technologies in three major directions: performance, distribution of data, and heterogeneity of data.