Relational Systems

Welcome to Relational Systems, home of Extended Relational Analysis (ERA) and SQL, the world's finest Relational Database Design and Structured Query Language classes. We have been serving the database community for over 25 years, and our materials have been licensed to nearly every major vendor of database products you can think of.

Click for more information regarding:

ERA - Extended Relational Analysis (Workshop and Overview)
SQL - Structured Query Language (Workshop)
Trainers and Consultants
Pricing and Ordering

Student materials are sold in any quantity and can be used for personal study, employee training, user training, private classes, or public classes. One copy must be purchased for each student. Transparencies are available for overhead projection. On-Site training and public classes are provided through our trainers and consultants.

For further information, feel free to contact us:


Address: 169 Blackberry Drive, Franklin, KY 42134
Phone: 270-598-5864
E-mail: help@era-sql.com


 
era logo

Extended Relational Analysis is a three-step process for designing relational database systems. Relational database terms and concepts are taught in a simple and practical way. Our technique can be used to develop applications for e-commerce, servers, or personal computers. ERA is designed to improve productivity and communication between users and analysts, yet is equally effective when used by people developing systems on their own. The method is structured so that every activity results in a tangible product that directly contributes to the final system.

Audience

Our ERA course is available in workshop and overview format. The workshop is designed for developers of relational database applications. The overview is directed at end users and anyone interested in a brief introduction to relational database design concepts and terminology. Both courses will also benefit individuals who are evaluating alternative technologies and design proposals for data-oriented systems.

Outline

The ERA Process is taught, step by step, as it is used in the development of an application. It begins by identifying the persons, places, and things (entities) of the user's business, and modeling them in table form. Next, relationships between entities are identified and documented in the same concise and unambiguous way. Finally, attributes of both entities and relationships are identified and normalized into the proper table. Sample data is always used to verify the model. The result is a data model that is precise, complete, flexible and yet easily understood.

era circle

The methodology also addresses the following advanced topics: face-to-face interviewing techniques; entity types and sub-types; parent and dependent entities; intelligent keys; and advanced forms of one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many relationships including recursive relationships, complex relationships, and time relationships.

Objectives

The successful ERA Workshop student will be able to:

• Understand relational database terms and concepts
• Develop a relational model for a business situation
• Participate in database design sessions
• Establish clear and concise communication between user and analyst
• Propose, evaluate, and choose between design alternatives
• Understand the capabilities and limitations of a database design
• Determine the relative quality of commercially-available RDBMS products

Availability

The ERA Workshop is usually taught as a three-day class, and the ERA Overview as a half-day class. The Workshop materials include a 170 page manual with detailed exercises and answers, a table drawing pad, three colored pens corresponding to each modeling step, and a handy reference card. The Overview materials include a 60 page manual with minimal exercises.



 
sql logo

Our SQL Workshop is a two-day, hands-on seminar covering the essential elements of the Structured Query Language. Students learn to query, maintain, and define tables of all kinds.

A carefully-constructed series of interactive exercises leads students from simple queries to complex ones. Students are taught how to solve difficult problems by developing solutions a piece at a time. The same approach is used to teach database maintenance and definition. Our class teaches a generic SQL that can be used with a variety of relational database products.

Audience

Computer users and developers who need to use SQL, but don't want to spend a month learning it. No previous programming experience is required. Exercises are included for both the beginner and advanced student.

Outline

First day topics center around single-table queries: selecting columns; ordering columns; formulating basic comparisons; selecting rows; sorting rows; eliminating duplicate rows; specifying advanced comparisons; using arithmetic expressions; applying statistical functions; and creating column aliases.

On the second day, multi-table queries are studied, including joins, unions, and subqueries. How to insert, update, and delete data is covered next. Finally, students create tables, indices, and views, with appropriate integrity constraints.

The class is comprehensive, yet practical. The statements and clauses covered appear below.

sql table

Objectives

Participants who successfully complete the SQL Workshop will be able to:

• Formulate and execute queries
• Specify alternate names for result columns
• Produce calculated columns and tables
• Combine rows and/or columns of multiple tables
• Insert, update, and delete database information
• Define and constrain new database tables
• Create views to simplify complex queries

Availability

The SQL Workshop is usually taught as a two-day class with one student per computer. The SQL materials include a 120 page manual with detailed exercises and answers, and a handy reference card. A disk containing the exercise data in text format is also provided. This data must be loaded into a relational database (not provided) to perform the exercises in an interactive mode. The exercises can, however, be done without a computer and checked against the answers provided.




Trainers and Consultants

The following companies offer ERA and SQL training classes and consulting services.

Fujitsu Consulting (ERA and SQL)

Nationwide
800-453-0347

JCK (ERA and SQL)

Roger Thomas
Port Huron, Michigan
877-363-8639

New Horizons (SQL)

Hiawatha, Iowa
319-294-9035

Davenport, Iowa
563-441-1515

Relational Systems (ERA and SQL)

Franklin, Kentucky
505-991-0141

SentientPoint, Inc (ERA)

Jack Hilty
Chicago, Illinois
312-925-6841




Pricing and Ordering

Products can be ordered directly from Relational Systems by calling 505-991-0141.

ERA Workshop Materials $75.00
ERA Workshop Transparencies $125.00
ERA Overview Materials $25.00
ERA Overview Transparencies $50.00
SQL Workshop Materials $75.00
SQL Workshop Transparencies $125.00

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express credit cards. Shipping charges will be added to each order.