Database management

Database management is the process of organizing and manipulating a database. A database is a collection of organized data that is alterable (create, update, and delete), accessible, has a purpose, minimizes/eliminates redundancy, imports and exports data, has data independence, and has data integrity. It usually collects large amounts of data, which it organizes and stores in a computer system. The data are organized so the information can be searched or accessed quickly and efficiently. The terms database and database management first appeared in the early 1960s with the introduction of computers into the business world. Computers allow businesses to store and retrieve large amounts of information in a database. Companies require a database-management system that is reliable and easy to maintain. This is a software package that assists in the organization and management of a database. Database-management systems were developed when existing systems no longer met the demands of businesses. The existing flat-file system was (and still is) ineffective, slow, inefficient, and unreliable, and the data were easily compromised. As databases increased in size, the flat-file system became even more redundant, unable to maintain the information in the database. A flat-file system is unable to organize and manage data or to link them to other data. For example, a customer comes into a bank and asks for her checking account balance. She provides the bank teller with the checkingaccount number, and receives the account balance. Then the customer asks the bank teller for her savings-account balance, but she does not have the savings-account number. The bank teller is unable to give the customer the savings account balance without the account number. A flat-file system is unable to link the customer’s checking account and savings account, whereas a database-management system allows the customer access to both the checking- and savings-account balances with only one of the account numbers. A database-management system allows for linking and flexibility in accessing information. A database-management system also allows for multiple people to access, query, and update data simultaneously. A query or search retrieves specific information from the database. For example, several bank tellers can access the database simultaneously to assist numerous patrons. They can also query or search, all at one time, on specific account numbers to determine if patrons have accounts with that bank. If the information queried takes too long to retrieve, or if the information about a certain account is corrupted, patrons may determine the bank is unreliable and take their business elsewhere. The information in the database has to be accessed effectively and efficiently in order to better serve the customer. A database-management system has to be organized properly or it may be just as inefficient and ineffective as a flat-file system. A downside to organizing a databasemanagement system correctly is that it takes time, money, and resources. The database-management system has to be continually monitored and updated at regular intervals to maintain data integrity and efficiency. Businesses now buy database-management software systems instead of creating a system from scratch, because it is more cost effective. There are two primary types of databasemanagement systems: relational database-management systems (RDBM) and object-oriented database-management systems (ODBM). The difference between ODBMs and RDBMs is how much the programmer can affect the data. Object-oriented databases can be fast and simple if the programmer is experienced in retrieving the information and understands the structure of the data storage, although a downside is that the programmer can also easily corrupt the data in the database. Relational-database programmers are restricted from interacting directly with the data, and the chance of corrupting the database is lower. Overall, relational databases tend to be faster and more efficient. Not all database-management systems are created equal. Cost is an important factor in choosing the system that is right for an individual or business. For example, Oracle is an expensive database-management system to own and would rarely be purchased by an individual. Existing hardware and software are also factors in choosing a databasemanagement system. Microsoft databases are not able to run on an Apple computer; Microsoft database systems are only able to run using a Microsoft operating system. Some database-management systems cater to individuals or small companies such as Microsoft Access, MySQL, and Progressql. Other systems cater to large CORPORATIONs such as Oracle, IBM’s DB2, SYBASE, and Microsoft SQL server.