Table of Contents
In this article, you’ll learn about what is data, database, database management system (DBMS) and its application, as well as advantages and disadvantages.
What is Data ?
Data is a raw fact and figures such as the name of a person, age, the location where is based, or any collection of a distinct small unit of information. It can be used in a variety of forms like text, numbers, media, bytes, etc.
What is Database?
A database is a collection of interrelated data and a database system is basically computer-based record keeping.
Purpose of Database
- Database reduce the data redundancy (Duplication of data) to a large extent.
- Database can control data inconsistency to a large extent.
- Databases facilitate sharing of data.
- Database enforce standards.
- Databases can ensure data security (protection of data against accidental or intentional disclosure to unauthorized persons, or unauthorized modification or destruction).
- Integrity can be maintained.
Type of Databases
A DBMS can support many different types of databases. Databases can be classified according to the number of users, the database location, and the expected type and extent of use.
- Number of users: Single-User Database or Multiple User Database( Work-group or Enterprise).
- Data Location: Centralized or Distributed Database.
- Data Usage: Operational or Data Warehouse Database.
What is DBMS?
Database Management System = Database + A set of program to access the data/information from database.
The Database Management System is a collection of interrelated data (usually called a database) and a set of programs to access, update and manage those data (which form part of the management system).
Or DBMS is a software package to facilitate the creation and maintenance of computerized databases. Its general purpose is to:
- Defining: Specifying data types and structure, and constraints for data to be stored.
- Construction: Storing data in a storage medium.
- Manipulating: Involve querying, updating, and generating results.
- Sharing: Allowing multiple users and programs to access data simultaneously.
Components of DBMS
- Data
- Hardware
- Software
- Users
Popular DBMS Software
Here, is the list of some popular DBMS systems:
- MySQL
- Microsoft Access
- Oracle
- PostgreSQL
- dBASE
- FoxPro
- SQLite
- IBM DB2
- LibreOffice Base
- MariaDB
- Microsoft SQL Server etc.
Application of DBMS
| Sector | Use of DBMS |
| Banking | For customer information, account activities, payments, deposits, loans, etc. |
| Airlines | For reservations and schedule information. |
| Universities | For student information, course registrations, colleges, and grades. |
| Telecommunication | It helps to keep call records, monthly bills, maintaining balances, etc. |
| Finance | For storing information about stock, sales, and purchases of financial instruments like stocks and bonds. |
| Sales | Use for storing customer, product & sales information. |
| Manufacturing | It is used for the management of the supply chain and for tracking the production of items. Inventories status in warehouses. |
| HR Management | For information about employees, salaries, payroll, deduction, generation of paychecks, etc. |
Advantages of DBMS
- DBMS offers a variety of techniques to store & retrieve data.
- DBMS serves as an efficient handler to balance the needs of multiple applications using the same data.
- Uniform administration procedures for data.
- Application programmers never exposed to details of data representation and storage.
- A DBMS uses various powerful functions to store and retrieve data efficiently.
- Offers Data Integrity and Security.
- The DBMS implies integrity constraints to get a high level of protection against prohibited access to data.
- A DBMS schedules concurrent access to the data in such a manner that only one user can access the same data at a time.
- Reduced Application Development Time
Disadvantage of DBMS
DBMS may offer plenty of advantages but, it has certain flaws-
- Cost of Hardware and Software of a DBMS is quite high which increases the budget of your organization.
- Most database management systems are often complex systems, so training for users to use the DBMS is required.
- In some organizations, all data is integrated into a single database which can be damaged because of electric failure or database is corrupted on the storage media
- Use of the same program at a time by many users sometimes lead to the loss of some data.
