Database Management Basics

Database management is a system of managing information that a company needs to run its business operations. It involves storing data, distributing it to applications and users and editing it when needed and monitoring changes to the data and preventing data corruption due to unexpected failure. It is a component of the entire informational infrastructure of a company which supports decision-making, corporate growth, and compliance with laws like the GDPR and California Consumer Privacy Act.

In the 1960s, Charles Bachman and IBM along with others created the first database systems. They evolved into information management systems (IMS) which allowed the storage and retrieve huge amounts of data for a variety of purposes, ranging from calculating inventory to supporting complex financial accounting and human resources functions.

A database is a collection of tables that store data in accordance with an established pattern, such as one-to-many relationships. It utilizes primary keys to identify records and allow cross-references between tables. Each table has a set of fields, also known as attributes, that provide information about the data entities. Relational models, invented by E. F. “Ted” Codd in the 1970s at IBM and IBM, are among the most used database type today. This model is based on normalizing the data, making it easier to use. It also makes it simpler to update data, avoiding the need to change various databases.

Most DBMSs are able to support different types of databases by offering different internal and external levels of organization. The internal level is concerned with 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. It also could include arayeshigolchehreh.com virtual tables that are calculated using generic data to improve the performance.