Database Management Basics

Database management is the system for managing data that supports an organization’s business operations. It includes data storage and distribution to application programs and users and modifying it as needed and monitoring the changes in the data and preventing it from being damaged by unexpected failure. It is an element of a company’s overall informational infrastructure which aids in decision making and corporate growth, as well as compliance with laws like the GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act.

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

A database is a set of tables that organize data according to a certain pattern, for example, one-to-many relationships. It uses the primary key to identify records, and also allows cross-references between tables. Each table contains a set of fields called attributes that contain information about data entities. Relational models, invented by E. F. “TedCodd Codd in the 1970s at IBM and IBM, are among the most widely used type of database today. This model is based on normalizing the data, making it more easy to use. It is also simpler to update data since it does not require changing many sections of the databases. astittwo.com

The majority of DBMSs support a variety of databases and offer different internal and external levels of organization. The internal level is concerned with cost, scalability, as well as other operational issues, such as the physical layout of the database. The external level is the representation of the database in user interfaces and applications. It may include a mix of different external views that are based on different models of data and could include virtual tables that are calculated with generic data to enhance the performance.