Distributed Computing Applications and Infrastructure (IS 206)
Fall 1998
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Databases and Content

Overview
Generalized Databases

Page Specific Databases

Database References by Feature (includes usage of reference)

Overview

Our application utilizes many databases mainly for the purpose of scalability. As the number of the websites and the degree of traffic increases, scalability becomes a very important issue. The main reason for this is because, even among webpage specific data, some data will be single fields with large amount of data such as backup and version control (which can require storage over many servers) whereas others such as link management and real-time collaboration will have many fields with little content. This method of separating concerns within databases will not only help efficiency by minimizing the size of the databases for processing, but will also help increase efficiency by redirecting traffic and reduce the congestion to a single large database. The different databases are detailed below.

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Generalized Databases

GWD User Database
user_id; user_email; user_password; user_group; user_status

This database stores the information of the user utilizing GWD. This database stores data of the user such as email and password and their access permissions is stored in terms of status and group permissions

Visitor Database
visitor_id; visitor_password; visitor_interest; visitor_email; visitor_email_frequency

This database stores info on public users to the site who would like site customization. The data includes their id and password as well as information about what types of information the visitor is interested in. The number of fields can be increased as more user customization features are developed. This database is separated from the GWD User database for security concerns.

GWD Website Database
site_reference; site_group; site_styleguide; page_reference; page_content; page_template; page_template_flag; quality_authority; quality_authentication

This database keeps data about which the website such as which pages are associated with the website, the website content, groups with permissions, the style templates associated with the site and the user with the authority to publicize the site.

Public Website Database
page_reference; page_content

This database stores the page data in the public domain. This database is kept separate from the GWD Website database for security concerns.

Template Database
template_reference; template_content

This database stores the templates for the different types of webpages.

Site Status Database
site_reference; page_reference; update_last; update_frequency; update_contact; labor_time; labor_user; labor_user_time

This database stores the status of the websites in term of updates and labor. This is a database used for website maintanence.

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Page Specific Databases

Link Management Database
page_reference; link_reference; link_followed_date; link_followed_time; link_status; link_new_location; link_heirarchy

This database stores information pertaining to linkage from a particular webpage to other pages within the website. Items stored include the link, when it was followed, if the link was active, where link was moved if dead and position of the link in the site heirarchy.

Annotation Database
page_reference; annotation_user; annotation_message; annotation_location; annotation_date; annotation_time

This database stores the webpage memos and their locations.

Real Time Database
site_reference; page_reference; realtime_user; realtime_message; realtime_date; realtime_time

This database stores log-like data from real-time collaborative exchanges in respect to the website or page.

Reconcilliation Database
page_reference; page_replicated; page_replicated_user; page_reconciliation; page_reconciliation_flag; page_reconciliation_date; page_reconciliation_time

This database stores data pertaining to by whom and when a webpage is reconciliated. This also stores flag location for areas of commonly editted areas which are unable to be spontaneously merged together.

Suggestion Database
site_reference; page_reference; traffic_common_site; content_compared site

This database stores internal links that can be used to generate suggestion listings for the user.

Backup Database
page_reference; backup_copy; backup_date; backup_time

This database stores the webpage back-ups.

Version Control Database
page_reference; version_number; version_copy; version_creator; version_date; version_time

This database stores the different versions of a webpage.

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Database Reference by Feature | Software Components and Framework | Milestone 4 home

last updated 11/10/98