Database Reference
In-Depth Information
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Logical data modeling is the process of capturing the detailed business solution. The logical data model looks
the same regardless of whether we are implementing in MongoDB or Oracle.
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There are four steps to logical data modeling: Fill in the CDM (Step 1), normalize and abstract for relational
(Step 2), determine the most useful form (Step 3), and review and confirm (Step 4).
A relational logical data model represents the detailed workings of the business. A dimensional logical data
model represents the details necessary to answer one or more business questions.
Normalizing is a formal process of asking business questions. Normalization ensures that every attribute is a
fact about the key (1NF), the whole key (2NF), and nothing but the key (3NF).
Abstraction is the use of generic concepts such as
Party
. Abstraction has as advantages flexibility and in-
tegration, but it comes with the high price of obscurity in the form of loss of communication, loss of
business rules, and added complexity.
MongoDB does not require us to define our physical schema in advance; therefore, we lose the flexibility
benefit of abstraction because MongoDB is already flexible by design.
