Database objects and relationships

The general tasks that are necessary to design a database are logical data modeling and physical data modeling.

In logical data modeling, you design a model of the data without paying attention to specific functions and capabilities of the DBMS that will store the data. In fact, you could even build a logical data model without knowing which DBMS you will use. The logical data modeling topics focus on the entity-relationship model and provides an overview of the Unified Modeling Language (UML) and IBM® Rational® Data Architect.

Physical data modeling begins when you move closer to a physical implementation. The primary purpose of the physical design stage is to optimize performance while ensuring the integrity of the data.

After completing the logical and physical design of your database, you implement the design.