4.3.4 The benefits of normalisation

• Normalisation


  The process of converting a single table flat database into a relational database
• Normalisation process


  1. Created two new tables each storing data about a distinct entity

  2. Linked the tables using a joining table which stores relationships between individual students and their courses
• Benefits of normalisation


  • Solved problems with the original flat database design
  • New records can be added to the Student_Allocation_Table joining table for students enrolled in multiple courses
  • Only a single record needs to be changed in the appropriate table for administrative changes, avoiding repetition of data
• Normalisation allows data to be efficiently organised into tables
• Unnecessary repetition has been eliminated and each table now represents a single entity and its attributes
• Flat database


  Inadequate because it contains data about more than one entity and attempts to capture the relationship between entities
• Many database applications automate normalising data and creating the necessary joining tables
• For very large databases, the process of designing a suitable database structure is a highly skilled job