Week 6 - SQL What It Is and Why It's Important

Prior to this week’s blog post assignment, I had never heard of SQL – I wouldn’t have even been able to make an educated guess about it. The acronym SQL stands for Structured Query Language. Structured Query Language is an international standard language that database utilize to communicate and synchronize with one another. There are many different types of database systems such as PHP or Microsoft databases, and Structured Query Language enables the databases to communicate with each other efficiently.  To provide a brief history of SQL: in the 1970’s, IBM created the first structured language which was then utilized by Microsoft and Oracle. It soon moved outside of the United States and was ultimately standardized internationally to become Structured Query Language. SQL is not difficult to learn and additionally has many flexible characteristics.

With regards to our field of architectural and structural engineering, Structured Query Language provides a myriad of benefits and uses. As I previously mentioned, SQL is used largely by Microsoft and Oracle, and with that being said, you would be hard pressed to find an engineering firm that doesn’t utilize these database systems in some fashion. In my personal experience, I used Oracle and Microsoft extensively throughout both of my two previous co-ops. The first of my two co-ops was associated with design management, and the firm utilized Oracle Primavera Contract Manager. The firm I worked for was the design management firm for a huge project that had over a dozen engineering firms working on it. In order to keep all of the firm’s designs, transmittals, meetings, requests for information, etc, in an organized fashion, we used Contract Manager’s database system.  Similarly, for my second co-op, which was more construction management oriented, we utilized Contract Manager as well. In both instances, it never occurred to me how versatile and synchronous with other databases that this oracle database was. I suppose in a sense I never took the time to think about the reason that we were able to upload so many different file types to Contract Manager and how it was so easy to transfer between other databases that other firms might have bee using. Structured Query Language is exactly that reason, and it is important for people to be educated about it as well as continue its use.

Chapman, Daniel. "What Is SQL and Why It Is Important?."Ezine Articles. n. page. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. <http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Is-SQL-and-Why-It-Is-Important?&id=6909544>.

Phil - Great post Phil! I was completely unaware of how relational databases are utilized, and you really got me at the end there with your drop of Microsoft Excel. It hit me like all those V8 commercials, can't believe I didn't think of it while I was reading your post. Well done.

Steve - Very well done post Steve - beyond the actual substance of the post, I feel as though your post is really well organized and demonstrates that you put in a lot of effort. A lot of times we engineers focus on doing the minimum or enough to satisfy the factor of safety, but I can see you like going above and beyond. The table you incorporated really helped explain how relations work and really amplified your article. Keep up the good work.