urrogate keys) for primary keys (such as Student_id) because they are artificial. Can you propose any natural choices of keys that can be used to identify the student record in a UNIVERSITY database? b. Suppose that you are able to guarantee uniqueness of a natural key that includes last name. Are you guaranteed that the last name will not change during the lifetime of the database? If last name can change, what solu tions can you propose for creating a primary key that still includes last name but remains unique? c. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using generated (surrogate) key?

Database System Concepts
7th Edition
ISBN:9780078022159
Author:Abraham Silberschatz Professor, Henry F. Korth, S. Sudarshan
Publisher:Abraham Silberschatz Professor, Henry F. Korth, S. Sudarshan
Chapter1: Introduction
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1PE
icon
Related questions
Question

Hi, I need help witht the following HW..

 

Recent changes in privacy laws have disallowed organizations from using
Social Security numbers to identify individuals unless certain restrictions
are satisfied. As a result, most U.S. universities cannot use SSNs as primary
keys (except for financial data). In practice, Student_id, a unique identifier
assigned to every student, is likely to be used as the primary key rather than
SSN since Student_id can be used throughout the system.
a. Some database designers are reluctant to use generated keys (also known
as surrogate keys) for primary keys (such as Student_id) because they are
artificial. Can you propose any natural choices of keys that can be used to
identify the student record in a UNIVERSITY database?
b. Suppose that you are able to guarantee uniqueness of a natural key that
includes last name. Are you guaranteed that the last name will not change
during the lifetime of the database? If last name can change, what solu tions can you propose for creating a primary key that still includes last
name but remains unique?
c. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using generated (surrogate) key?

Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 2 steps

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Transaction Processing
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, computer-science and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Recommended textbooks for you
Database System Concepts
Database System Concepts
Computer Science
ISBN:
9780078022159
Author:
Abraham Silberschatz Professor, Henry F. Korth, S. Sudarshan
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education
Starting Out with Python (4th Edition)
Starting Out with Python (4th Edition)
Computer Science
ISBN:
9780134444321
Author:
Tony Gaddis
Publisher:
PEARSON
Digital Fundamentals (11th Edition)
Digital Fundamentals (11th Edition)
Computer Science
ISBN:
9780132737968
Author:
Thomas L. Floyd
Publisher:
PEARSON
C How to Program (8th Edition)
C How to Program (8th Edition)
Computer Science
ISBN:
9780133976892
Author:
Paul J. Deitel, Harvey Deitel
Publisher:
PEARSON
Database Systems: Design, Implementation, & Manag…
Database Systems: Design, Implementation, & Manag…
Computer Science
ISBN:
9781337627900
Author:
Carlos Coronel, Steven Morris
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Programmable Logic Controllers
Programmable Logic Controllers
Computer Science
ISBN:
9780073373843
Author:
Frank D. Petruzella
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education