Database Management Basics

Database management is a method of managing the information that supports a business’s operations. It involves storing data, distributing it to users and application programs making aec-rs.com changes as needed, monitoring changes in the data and preventing it from getting corrupted due to unexpected failures. It is a part of the overall infrastructure of a business that aids in decision-making as well as corporate growth and compliance with laws like the GDPR and California Consumer Privacy Act.

The first database systems were invented in the 1960s by Charles Bachman, IBM and others. They developed into information management systems (IMS) which allowed massive amounts of data to be stored and retrieved for a variety of reasons. From calculating inventory, to aiding complex financial accounting functions and human resource functions.

A database is a collection of tables that store data in accordance with the specific scheme, for example one-to-many relationships. It uses the primary key to identify records and permits cross-references between tables. Each table contains a number of fields, called attributes, that represent facts about the entities that comprise the data. The most popular type of database that is currently in use is a relational model designed by E. F. «Ted» Codd at IBM in the 1970s. This design is based upon normalizing data to make it easier to use. It is also simpler to update data since it doesn’t require changing certain sections of the database.

Most DBMSs can support multiple types of databases through different levels of internal and external organization. The internal level concerns cost, scalability, and other operational issues, including the physical layout of the database. The external level is the representation of the database in user interfaces and applications. It can include a mixture of various external views based on different data models and could include virtual tables that are calculated with generic data to enhance the performance.