Database Management Basics

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

In the 1960s, Charles Bachman and IBM among others developed the first database systems. They developed into information management systems (IMS) which allowed for the storage and retrieve large amounts data for a wide range of purposes, ranging from calculating inventory to supporting complicated financial accounting and human resources functions.

A database is a set of tables that store data according to a certain pattern, for example, one-to-many relationships. It makes use of primary keys to identify records, and allow cross-references between tables. Each table contains a set of fields called attributes that represent facts about data entities. The most popular type of database today is a relational model, designed by E. F. «Ted» Codd at IBM in the 1970s. This design is based on normalizing data to make it more user-friendly. It is also easier to update data since it does not require the changing of many sections of the databases.

Most DBMSs can support different types of databases by offering different levels of internal and external organization. The internal level concerns cost, scalability, as well as other operational www.botshabelohub.co.za issues, such as the physical layout of the database. The external level is the way the database is displayed in user interfaces and other applications. It could comprise a mix of various external views based on different data models and can include virtual tables that are computed using generic data in order to improve the performance.