Slide 1Slide 2Slide 3Slide 4Slide 5Slide 6Slide 7Slide 8Slide 9Slide 10Slide 11Slide 12Slide 13Slide 14Slide 15Slide 16Slide 17Slide 18Slide 19Slide 20Slide 21Slide 22Slide 23Slide 24Slide 25Slide 26Slide 27Database-Driven Web Database-Driven Web Sites Sites Presented by Xueying BaiPresented by Xueying BaiNov. 23 2004Nov. 23 2004OverviewOverview1. 1. IntroductionIntroduction2. When and why to build a database-driven 2. When and why to build a database-driven Web site?Web site?3. Choosing a database3. Choosing a database4. Choosing a scripting language4. Choosing a scripting language5. Why information architects should be 5. Why information architects should be concerned?concerned?6. Conclusion6. Conclusion7. References7. ReferencesStatic Web pages vs. dynamic Web Static Web pages vs. dynamic Web pages pages Static Web pagesStatic Web pagesData is stored in .html files Data is stored in .html files Won't change until someone changes their source Won't change until someone changes their source codes codes Dynamic Web pagesDynamic Web pagesWeb pages that respond to users' requests and Web pages that respond to users' requests and gather information from them. Oftentimes, they have gather information from them. Oftentimes, they have built-in links to a database, from which they extract built-in links to a database, from which they extract data based on input from the usersdata based on input from the users Created in real timeCreated in real timeWhat is data and database? What is data and database? Data: a general term meaning the facts, Data: a general term meaning the facts, numbers, letters, and symbols processed numbers, letters, and symbols processed by a computer or communications system by a computer or communications system to produce information. In a computer to produce information. In a computer system these items are stored in files. system these items are stored in files. Database: A collection of related files is a Database: A collection of related files is a databasedatabaseWhat is a database-driven Web What is a database-driven Web site? site? Definition: A database-driven Web site is a Definition: A database-driven Web site is a Web site that uses a database to gather, Web site that uses a database to gather, display, or manipulate information display, or manipulate information Example:Example:News sites: CNN.com and MSNBC.comNews sites: CNN.com and MSNBC.comE-commerce companies: Amazon.com, which E-commerce companies: Amazon.com, which is a Web interface of a big-sized database is a Web interface of a big-sized database system containing customer and transactional system containing customer and transactional information. information.When do we need a database-When do we need a database-driven web site? driven web site? We would need a database-driven Web site if We would need a database-driven Web site if our information changes very often, just like in a our information changes very often, just like in a banking site banking site Most organizations have a great deal of Most organizations have a great deal of information in databases and could benefit if this information in databases and could benefit if this information is made available online information is made available online When the content on a site reaches critical When the content on a site reaches critical mass, it's time to stop managing it as “resources mass, it's time to stop managing it as “resources embedded in static HTML" and start to create a embedded in static HTML" and start to create a database-driven Web site database-driven Web siteWhy do we need database-driven Why do we need database-driven Web sites? (I) Web sites? (I) Web pages of database-driven Web sites are created Web pages of database-driven Web sites are created dynamically (in real time) thus giving a Web site visitor dynamically (in real time) thus giving a Web site visitor an up-to-date view of information stored in the database. an up-to-date view of information stored in the database. Users can do their own maintenance via a set of Web-Users can do their own maintenance via a set of Web-based data entry forms based data entry forms Such as we can change our address, credit card information of Such as we can change our address, credit card information of our Amazon account by ourselvesour Amazon account by ourselvesThe information that the Web site visitor sees on a The information that the Web site visitor sees on a dynamic Web page can be quickly customized dynamic Web page can be quickly customized For example, the sort order of the items can be changed or For example, the sort order of the items can be changed or certain database fields can be shown or hiddencertain database fields can be shown or hiddenWhy do we need database-driven Why do we need database-driven Web sites? (II)Web sites? (II)The look & feel of the database-driven pages can be The look & feel of the database-driven pages can be easily changed vs. having to redo dozens if not hundreds easily changed vs. having to redo dozens if not hundreds or thousands of static Web pages in the event that a or thousands of static Web pages in the event that a site's design needs to be modifiedsite's design needs to be modifiedSeveral different views of the database information can Several different views of the database information can be presented in the same time be presented in the same time For example, the items could be presented in alphabetical order For example, the items could be presented in alphabetical order by name but then could also be sorted and presented by costby name but then could also be sorted and presented by costThe site visitor can do a search on the items in the The site visitor can do a search on the items in the database database It is easy for Web masters to maintain the Web sites It is easy for Web masters to maintain the Web sites3. 3. Choosing a database Choosing a database Commercial databases: Oracle, SQL ServerCommercial databases: Oracle, SQL ServerCost: expensiveCost: expensiveHardware requirements: highHardware requirements: highTarget customers with more specific needs than open Target customers with more specific needs than open source databases (enterprise edition and standard source databases (enterprise edition and standard edition)edition)Have an impressive array of advanced features Have an impressive array of