Do you understand what this question is asking? (Databases)

Biruni

I am confused as to what exactly this question is asking me to do. Can anyone clarify the question below for me. Even mentioning an example of a database server installation would be of immense help.

Design and document two separate database servers installations, including a high level backup
strategy which will be used as follows :
1. Single Server User Test Environment with minimal recovery and redundancy
- Test data can be recreated without too much overhead but should not suffer
more than 1 week data loss
2. Single Server Production Environment with full recovery and redundancy
- Backup Data Files & Physical Database Data files should be on separate file
systems

I'm rather confused as to whether database server installation refers to something as simple as downloading SQL or if this has a more specific meaning. I'm new to databases by the way, in case that wasn't painfully obvious.

ScumLord

It's sort of a vague, there must be more to the question. What operating system are you supposed to use? There's loads of database software too.

A database server though is just something that can run databases, that's easy but if you're linking it up to accounts in Active directory and need to have restricted permissions for different users then it gets a bit more complicated.

I started learning database building but just gave up. I don't want to know, they're the devil.

FSL

My interpretation is you are required to document how you would set up the database and maintain in the two scenarios.

One where you don't care if you lose up to a weeks data and if the data is unavailable for periods. The other a full production 24 x 7 no data loss always available etc.

johnnybmac

Sounds to me like someone missed some important lectures

Biruni

Yeah, there is more to it. It still doesn't make it particularly clear to me though. By the way, I haven't missed a single lecture. I have written notes from each lecture, and have made a mind map using xmind for each one. The slides are also freely available to me. Unfortunately, the what we covered in the lectures and the assignment don't seem to link up as nicely as I would like them to.

This is what the assignment sheet says:

Overview

This assignment is intended to allow you to show your understanding of the fundamental design concepts you should adhere to when requested to deliver a simple database environment that provides some level of resilience and redundancy.This is a paper based exercise which should be presented in an electronic document format and submitted to the email address below. Neither your MySQL instance nor any other database software will be required to complete this assignment.

Assignment
Design and document two separate database servers installations, including a high level backup strategy which will be used as follows :
1. Single Server User Test Environment with minimal recovery and redundancy
- Test data can be recreated without too much overhead but should not suffer more than 1 week data loss
2. Single Server Production Environment with full recovery and redundancy
- Backup Data Files & Physical Database Data files should be on separate file systems

Notes:
Provide Backup Media Rotation strategy to support the following :
Media Archives required every 28 days retained up to 3 years
Require to recover to any point in time within past 7 days
Can sustain up to 1 week gap in recovery time for next 4 weeks

Disk Storage and RAID configurations are important

Backup routines should take account of both Database Backup and Backup
Archiving to Tape/Other Media

Disk layouts should reflect the differences between Operating System, DBMS Software, Database Files, Transaction Logs and Backup Sets.

Provide reasons to support your design decisions