Database Management Basics
Database management is a method of coordinating the information that supports a business’s operations. It includes data storage, distributing it to application programs and users and modifying it as needed and monitoring changes to the data and preventing it from becoming corrupted by unexpected failures. It is a component of the informational infrastructure of a company that aids in decision-making, corporate growth, and compliance with laws like the GDPR and California Consumer Privacy Act.
The first database systems were developed in the 1960s by Charles Bachman, IBM and others. They evolved into information management systems (IMS) which made it possible to store and retrieve massive amounts of information for a range of uses, from calculating inventory to supporting complex human resources and financial accounting functions.
A database consists of tables that store data in accordance with a specific pattern, for example, one-to-many relationships. It utilizes primary keys to identify records and allow cross-references between tables. Each table is comprised of a variety of fields, called attributes, that contain information about the data entities. The most popular type of database today is a relational model designed by E. crearydecorar.com F. “Ted” Codd at IBM in the 1970s. This model is based on normalizing data to make it more user-friendly. It is also simpler to update data since it does not require the changing of certain sections of the database.
Most DBMSs support multiple database types by providing different levels of external and internal organization. The internal level is concerned with cost, scalability, and other operational issues, such as the physical layout of the database. The external level is the representation of the database on user interfaces and applications. It may include a mix of different external views (based on the various data models) and may also include virtual tables which are generated using generic data to improve performance.
