Database Management system…

A Database Management System is,

"A database management system (DBMS) is system software for creating and managing
databases. A DBMS makes it possible for end users to insert, update, delete and search data
in a database.
The most prevalent type of data management platform, the DBMS
essentially serves as an interface between databases and users or
application programs, ensuring that data is consistently organized
and remains easily accessible.
MySQL, MongoDB and Firebase some of the examples for the
database management system."

"A database management system (DBMS) allows a person to organize, store, and retrieve
data from a computer. It is a way of communicating with a computer’s “stored memory.” In
the very early years of computers, “punch cards” were used for input, output, and data
storage. Punch cards offered a fast way to enter data and retrieve it. Herman Hollerith is
given credit for adapting the punch cards used for weaving looms to act as the memory for a
mechanical tabulating machine, in 1890. Much later, databases came along."

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 Evolution of Database Management Systems…

 Database models

 Flat files (1960s – 1980s)

 Hierarchical database (1970s –
1990s)
 Network database (1970s –
1990s)
 Relational database (1980s –
present)
 Object-oriented database
(1990s – present)
 Object-relational database (1990s – present)
 Web enabled database

 Flat files (1960s – 1980s)

“Flat file database is a database that stores information in a single file or table. In a text file,
every line contains one record where fields either have fixed length or they are separated by
commas, whitespaces, tabs or any other character.”
Advantages:

 Flat file database is best for small databases.

 It is easy to understand and implement. Fewer skills are required to handle a flat file
database.

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Disadvantages:

 A flat file may contain fields which duplicate the data as there is no automation in
flat files.
 If one record is to be deleted from the flat file database, then all the relevant
information in different fields has to be deleted manually making the data
manipulation inefficient.

 Hierarchical database (1970s – 1990s)

“As the name indicates, hierarchical database contains data in a hierarchically-

arranged data. More perceptively it can be visualized as a family tree where there is a
parent and a child relationship. Each parent can have
many children but one child can only have one parent i.e.;
one-to-many relationship.”

Advantages:

 In a hierarchical database pace of accessing the information is speedy due to

the predefined paths. This increases the performance of a database.

 The relationships among different entities are easy to understand.

Disadvantages:

 Hierarchical database model lacks flexibility. Any change in the relationships

may require manual reorganization of the data.

 Network database (1970s – 1990s)

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 “The inventor of network model is Charles Bachmann. network database allows
multiple parent and child relationships i.e., it maintains many-to-many relationship.
The network database model was created to achieve three main objectives:

 To represent complex data relationships more effectively.

 To improve the performance of the database.
 To implement a database standard.”

Advantages:

 The network database model makes the data access quite easy.
 This model is conceptually easy to design.

 The network model also ensures the data independence because the
application works independently of the data.

Disadvantages:

 A user-friendly database management system cannot be established via

network model.

 Relational database (1980s – present)

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 “Relational database model was proposed by E.F. Codd. It allows the entities to be
related through a common attribute. So in order to relate two tables (entities), they
simply need to have a common attribute. In the tables there are primary keys and
alternative keys. Primary keys form a relation with the alternative keys. This
property makes this model extremely flexible.
Relational databases are established using a computer language, Structured Query
Language (SQL).”

Advantages:

 Using relational database ample information can be stored using small tables.
 The accessing of data is also very efficient.
 Relational database uses normalization structure which helps to achieve data
independence more easily.
 Relational database uses a language which is easy and human readable.

Disadvantages:

 The response to a query becomes time-consuming and inefficient if the number of

tables between which the relationships are established increases.

 Object-oriented database (1990s – present)

“Object oriented database management system is that database system in which the
data or information is presented in the form of objects, much like in object-oriented

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 programming language. Furthermore, Object oriented DBMS also facilitate the user
by offering transaction support, language for various queries, and indexing options.
Also, these database systems have the ability to handle data efficiently over multiple
servers.

Unlike relational database, object-oriented database works in the framework of real

programming languages like JAVA or C++.”

Advantages:

 If there are complex (many-to-many) relationships between the entities, the object-
oriented database handles them much faster than any of the above discussed
database models.
 Navigation through the data is much easier.
 Objects do not require assembly or disassembly hence saving the coding and
execution time.

Disadvantages:

 Lower efficiency level when data or relationships are simple.

 Data can be accessible via specific language using a particular API which is not the
case in relational databases.

 Object-relational database (1990s – present)

Advantages:

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  Data remains encapsulated in object-relational database.
 Concept of inheritance and polymorphism can also be implemented in this database.

Disadvantages:

 Object relational database is complex.

 Proponents of relational approach believe simplicity and purity of relational model
are lost.
 It is costly as well.
 Web enabled database (1990s – present):
 Web enabled database simply put a database with a web-based interface.

 Web enabled database

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Advantages:

 The database is easy and simple to use.

 The data accessibility is easy via web-enabled database.

Disadvantages:

 Main disadvantage is that it can be hacked easily.

 Web enabled databases support the full range of DB operations, but in order to
make them easy to use, they must be “dumped down”.

 Advantages and Disadvantages of the Database Management

Systems approach vs. File Based Systems approach...

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  DBMS

 Advantages of DBMS

 DBMS helps reduce data redundancy.

 DBMS helps data to be shared among different group of users having access to
database.
 DBMS ensures data security.
 DBMS ensures data privacy. It allows data to available to the user with various level
of restriction.
 Database Management System performs backup and data recovery on its own and
doesn't require user to personally take care of it.
 Database System ensures consistency of data throughout transaction which is of
utmost importance.
 Disadvantages of DBMS

 DBMS requires highly skilled professionals to manage and perform operations on it.
This may increase cost to the company.
 Advanced and sophisticated hardware and software setups are also required to have
proper DBMS in place. This also requires budget.
 The sophisticated hardware and software are prone to failure as well.
 Upgrade of the system or replacement may be required as technology is changing
rapidly. This needs to be kept in mind and it means not only system but also the
resources need training to upgrade themselves to meet the changing demands.

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  File management system

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  Advantages of File Management system

 Simpler to use
 Less expensive
 Fits the needs of many small businesses and home users.
 Popular FMS’ s is packaged along with the operating systems of personal computers
(i.e., Microsoft Card file and Microsoft
 Works)
 Good for database solutions for hand held devices such as Palm pilot.

 Disadvantages of File Management system

 Typically, does not support multi-user access.

 Limited to smaller databases.
 Limited functionality (i.e., no support for complicated transactions, recovery,
 etc.)
 Decentralization of data.
 Redundancy and Integrity issues.

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  Job roles related to Database Management
Systems...

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  Data Administrator (DA)

“Data administrator is a person who is responsible for processing data into a convenient
data model. The person is in charge of figuring out which data is relevant to be stored in the
database. Data Administrator is less of a technical role and more of a business role with
some technical knowledge. So, it is mostly a high-level function which is responsible for the
overall management of data resources in an organization.”

Responsibilities:

 Filters out relevant data.

 Monitor the data flow throughout the organization
 Designs concept-based data model.
 Developing and implementing data policies and standards that ensure the accuracy,
completeness, and consistency of data across the organization.
 Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and standards, such as GDPR,
HIPAA, and PCI-DSS.

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  Database Administrator (DBA)

“Database administrator is a person who creates updates and maintains the database. It is
more of a wide role as a data administrator might be someone who is hired to create,
maintain, and backup the database, optimize the database for high performance, or
someone who helps in integrating databases into applications. The major skills required to
be an excellent database administrator are troubleshooting, logical thought process, and a
strong will to learn as it involves a vast area.”

Responsibilities:

 Create and design a database.

 Analyze and monitor database requirements.
 Ensures data security.
 Creating, managing, and maintaining the organization’s databases, including security,
access, and data integrity.
 Monitoring database performance, ensuring uptime, and implementing disaster
recovery procedures.

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 Database Designer

“Database designers are responsible for creating and maintaining databases. They work with
a wide range of organizations, from small businesses to large corporations. Their job is to
ensure that data is organized in a way that makes it easy to find and use.
Database designers need to be able to understand how databases work and how data can
be stored and retrieved efficiently. They also need to know how to design databases so that
they’re easy to navigate and use.”

Responsibilities:

 Creating data models to determine how data is stored in a database and how it can
be accessed.
 Designing database structures such as tables, fields, indexes, views, and triggers.
 Providing technical support to other members of the team including database
administrators, developers, and business analysts.
 Reviewing and updating existing databases to improve performance or add
functionality.
 Planning and designing database structures for new systems.

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  Application Developer

“An application developer is a professional who designs, creates, deploys and updates
programs for a particular device, the web or a specific operating system. Developers
typically specialize in one area of development, such as mobile phone applications. They are
an important part of a project management or technical team that's responsible for meeting
user needs.

Application developers work in almost every industry and are involved in performing routine
updates on applications and releasing them to end-users.”

Responsibilities:

 Understanding the requirements of the client to create specifications for applications

they're going to develop.
 Creating prototypes for the application according to the specifications.
 Writing quality code to create the completed applications within a set amount of
time.
 Performing testing before launch.
 Troubleshooting and debugging the application.
 Evaluating existing applications and adding new features, reprogramming them or
completing updates.

 End User

The different types of end users are as follows:

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  Casual end users
 Parametric end users
 Sophisticated end users
 Standalone users

 Casual end users

“The casual end users access the database occasionally. Each time they access the database
their request will change.
They use sophisticated database query language to retrieve the data from the database.”
Example − High level managers who access the data weekly basis.

 Parametric end users

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“Parametric end users spend most of their time in querying and updating the database using
standard types of queries.

They make up a large section of the end-user population.”

Example − A bank teller who does this activity for an entire shift of operations.

 Sophisticated end users

“The sophisticated end users access the database to implement their own applications to
meet their specific goals. These include business analysts, engineers, scientists which are
familiar with the system capabilities.

The users interact with the system without writing programs. They submit each query to a
query processor.”

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  Standalone users

“The standalone end users maintain their own database by creating one using the ready-
made program packages that provide a graphical user interface.”

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