DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION-

1. MULTIMEDIA DATA BASES-

This can store pictures, video clips and sound
messages.
2. GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS-
This can store and analyze maps,
whether data and satellite images.

3. DATAWARE HOUSE AND ONLINE ANALYTICAL PROCESSING [OLAP]-

Such systems are used in many companies to extract and analyze useful information from
very large databases for decision making.

4. REAL TIME AND ACTIVE DATA BASE TECHNOLOGY-

Used to controlling
industrial and manufacturing processes.

5. DATA BASE SEARCH TECNIQUE-

Used in World Wide Web to improve the search
for information those are needed for browsing in the internet. Data bases play a critical
role in almost all areas.

DATA BASE-
A data base is a collection of related data. By data means known facts that
can be recorded and that have implicit meaning.

PROPERTIES OF DATABASE-

1. A database represents some aspects of the real world, sometimes called the
miniworld or the universe of discourse.
2. A data base is a logically coherent of data with some inherent meaning. A random
assortment of data cannot correctly be referred to as a database.
3. A database is designed, built, and populated with data for a purpose. It has a
intended group of users and some preconceived applications in which these users
are interested.

DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS [DBMS]-

A DBMS is a collection of
programs that enables users to create and maintain a database. The DBMS is hence a
general-purpose software system that facilitates the processing of defining,
constructing, and manipulating databases for various applications.

DEFINING- A database involves specifying the data types, structures, and constraints
for the data to be stored in the data base.

CONSTRUCTING the database is the process of storing the data itself on some
storage medium that is controlled by the DBMS.

MANIPULATING a database includes such functions as querying the database to

retrieve specific data, updating the database to reflect changes in the mini-world, and
generating reports from the data.

USERS PROGRAMS/QUERIES

SOFTWARE TO PROCESS
QUERIES/PROGRAMS
SOFTWARE TO ACCESS
STORED DATA

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CHARACTERISTICSOF THE DATABASE APPROACH-

1. SELF-DESCRIBING NATURE OF A DATBASE SYSTEM-

A fundamental
characteristic of the database approach is that database system contains not only the
database itself but also a complete definition or description of the database structure
and constraints.

2. INSULATION BETWEEN PROGRAMS AND DATA, AND DATA

ABSTRACTION-
The structure of data files is embedded in the access programs,
so any changes to the structure of a file may require changing all programs that access
this file. DBMS access programs do not require such changes in most cases. The
structure of data files is stored in the DBMS catalog separately from the access
programs. The characteristic that allows program-data independence and program-
operation independence is called data abstraction.

3. SUPPORT OF MULTIPLE VIEWS OF THE DATA-

A database typically has
many users; each of them may require a different perspective view of the database. A
view may be subset of the database or it may contain virtual data derived from the
database files but it is not explicitly stored.

4. SHARING OF DATA AND MULTIUSER TRANSACTION PROCESSING-

A
multi-user DBMS must allow multiple users to access the database at the same time.
This is essential if data for multiple applications is to be integrated and maintained in
a single database. The DBMS must include concurrency control software to ensure
that several users trying to update the same data do so in a controlled manner so that
the result of the updates is correct.

ACTORS ON THE SCENE-

1. DATABASE ADMINISTRATORS-
In any organization where many persons use
the same resources, there is a need for a chief administrator to oversee and manage
these resources. Administrating these resources is the responsibility of the database
administrator (DBA). The DBA is responsible for authorizing access to the database,
for coordinating and monitoring its use, and for acquiring software and hardware
resources as needed.

2. DATABASE DESIGNERS-
Database designers are responsible for identifying
the data to be stored in the database and for choosing appropriate structures to
represent and store the data. It is the responsibility of the database designers to
communicate with all prospective database users, in order to understand their
requirements, and to come up with a design that meets these requirements.

3. END USERS-
 End users are the people whose job requires access to the database
for querying, updating, and generating reports. There are several categories of end
users:
CASUAL END USERS occasionally access the database, but they may need different
information each time. They use sophisticated database query language to specify
their requests.
NAVE OR PARAMETIC END USERS make up a sizable portion of database end
users. Their main job function revolves around constantly querying and updating the
database.
SOPHISTICATED END USERS include engineers, scientists, business analysts, and
others who thoroughly familiarize themselves with the facilities of the DBMS.
STAND-ALONE USRES maintain personal databases by using ready-made program
package that provide easy-to-use menu.

4. SYSTEM ANALYSTS AND APPLICATION PROGRAMMERS-

System
analysts determine the requirements of end-users, especially nave and parametric end
users, and develop specifications for canned transactions that meet these
requirements. Application programmers implement these specifications as programs
then they test, debug, and maintain these canned transactions.

ADVANTAGES-

1. REDUNDANCY CAN BE REDUCED-

In database systems, each application or
department has its own private files resulting in considerable amount of redundancy
of the stored data this storage is wasted. By having a centralized data base, most of
this can be avoided.

2. INCONSISTENCY CAN BE AVOIDED-

This is a really a corollary to the above
point. When the same data is duplicated and changes are made at one site which is not
propagated to other site, it gives rise to inconsistency. Then the two entries regarding
the same data will not agree. At such times the data is said to be consistent. So if the
redundancy is removed chances of having inconsistent data is removed.

3. THE DATA CAN BE SHARED-

The existing application can share the data in a
database.

4. STANDARDS CAN BE ENFFORCED-

With the central control of the database,
the database administrator can enforce standards.

5. SECURITY RETRICTIONS CAN BE APPLIED-

 Having complete authority over
the operational data, the database administrator can ensure that the only means of
access to the database is through proper channels and define authorization checks to
be carried out whenever the access to sensitive data is attempted.

6. INTEGRITY CAN BE MAINTAINED-

Integrity means that the data in the
database is accurate. Centralized control of the data helps in permitting the
administrator to define integrity constraints to the data in the database.

7. CONFLICTING REQUIREMENTS CAN BE ENFORCED-

Knowing the overall
requirements as opposed to the individual requirements, the database can be structure
to provide an overall service that is best for the organization.

IMPLICATIONS OF DATABASE-

1. POTENTIAL OF ENFORCING STANDARDS-

Database provides the DBA to
define and enforce standards among database users in a large organization. This
facilitates provide co-operation among various departments, projects and users within the
organization.

2. REDUCED APLLICATION DEVELOPMENT TIME-

A prime selling feature of the
database approach is that developing a new application such as retrieval of certain data
from the database for printing a new report- takes very little time. Designing and
implementing a new database from scratch may take that writing a single specialized file
application.

3. FLEXIBILITY-
DBMS allows the user to do changes to the structure of the database
without affecting the stored data and the existing application programs.

4. AVAILABILITY OF UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION-

Database is made available to
all users; of one user update is applied to the database all other users can view the update
data immediately.

5. ECONOMICS OF SCALE-
The database approach permits consolidation of data and
applications, thus reducing the amount of wasteful overlap between activities of data
processing.