CS 554 - Database Systems

Graduate Course · Fall 2025 · Instructor: Joyce Ho

Course Description

An advanced course on database systems covering the design, implementation, and use of both relational and non-relational database systems. Topics include the relational data model, SQL, physical data organization, indexing, query processing and optimization, transaction management, concurrency control, and modern database paradigms including column stores, key-value stores, document databases, distributed databases, and vector databases.

Schedule

Lesson	References	Assignments
Lesson 1Introduction
Lesson 2Relational Data Model + Database Design	Prof Cheung's CS 377 – Section 3 (Relational Data Model) Prof Cheung's CS 377 – Section 10 (Normalization) AdditionalDB Book Chapter 7 AdditionalDuke CS 516 Normalization Slides
Lessons 3-5SQL I-III	Prof Cheung's CS 377 – Sections 5–6	Homework 1 on database design and SQL
Lesson 6Physical Data Organization	Prof Cheung's CS 554 – Section 3
Lessons 7-8Indexing I-II	Prof Cheung's CS 554 – Section 4	Homework 2 on SQL and indexing
Lessons 9-10Relational Algebra I-II	Prof Cheung's CS 377 – Section 4	Final Project (Large, open data-driven website) Proposal
Lesson 11Query Processing	Prof Cheung's CS 554 – Sections 12–16
Lessons 12-13Query Optimization I-II	Prof Cheung's CS 554 – Sections 5–8, 11
Lesson 14Column Store Databases	CMU 15-445 Storage Models Slides AdditionalCMU 15-445 Storage Models Notes AdditionalNoSQL Databases (Strauch)	Homework 3 on Query Optimization
Lesson 15DuckDB	CMU 15-721 DuckDB Slides AdditionalCMU 15-721 DuckDB Notes AdditionalDr. Szarnyas goto; Talk Slides
Lesson 16Key-Value Stores	Prof Cheung's CS 554 – Section 29 Dynamo Paper AdditionalUW CSE 444 Slides	Final Project Progress Report
Lessons 17-18MongoDB I	MongoDB 101 AdditionalIntro to Modern Databases with MongoDB
Lesson 19Transaction Management	Prof Cheung's CS 554 – Section 21	Homework 4 on DuckDB and MongoDB
Lesson 20Concurrency Control	Prof Cheung's CS 554 – Sections 22–24
Lesson 21Distributed Databases I	Prof Cheung's CS 554 – Sections 25, 27 AdditionalCMU 15-445 Distributed DB Slides AdditionalCMU 15-445 Distributed DB Notes
Lesson 22Distributed Databases II / Vector Databases I
Lesson 23Vector Databases II	Duke CS 516 Vector Indexing Slides AdditionalSIGMOD 2024 Vector Tutorial AdditionalUtah CS 6530 Vector DB Slides
Lesson 24Parting Thoughts on Modern DBMS	Hannes Mühleisen – A Short Summary of the Last Decades of Data Management Andy Pavlo – What Goes Around Comes Around ... And Around ...
Lessons 25 & 26 Final Project Presentations		Final Project Report

Assignments and Grading

The final grade will be determined by a weighted average of all the graded items. Grades may be curved so that the class mean falls at least in the B range.

Component	Weight
4 Homeworks	40%
Final Project	40%
In-Class Exercises	20%

AI Tool Policy. You may use generative AI tools such as Co-Pilot and ChatGPT in the same manner as an Internet resource. You must credit the interaction source much the same way you would attribute reference to a textbook, article, or webpage. Failure to disclose and cite your use of such a tool will be considered a violation of the honor code.