A Logical Database Design Methodology for MongoDB NoSQL Databases

Abstract

This paper presents a logical database design methodology for a MongoDB NoSQL database. Given a query, the design methodology is able to assist database designers to determine the best set of configurations of data, also known elsewhere as scheme trees, in the database such that the retrieval time of the query can be minimal or reduced. The design methodology first models an application of interest with a conceptual model. Based on our previous researches, the design methodology then generates from the conceptual model as few scheme trees as possible, which will eventually be implemented as MongoDB's collections in the database. To illustrate the design methodology, the COVID-19 data set was downloaded as an example application. The design methodology first conceptualized the data set with an Entity-Relationship model. Multiples queries were then devised to access various parts of the date set, whose executions required retrievals of the attribute values of all or some of the entity types and/or the relationship in the ER model. The design methodology then generated the best sets of scheme trees for the queries.