Microsoft® SQL Server 2012 Unleashed

Logical Database Design Issues

A good database design is fundamental to the success of any application. Logical database design for relational databases follows rules of normalization. As a result of normalization, you create a data model that is usually, but not necessarily, translated into a physical data model. A logical database design does not depend on the relational database you intend to use. The same data model can be applied to Oracle, Sybase, SQL Server, or any other relational database. On the other hand, a physical data model makes extensive use of the features of the underlying Database Engine to yield optimal performance for the application. Physical models are much less portable than logical models.

Tip

If portability is a big ...