Database management is a system for managing information that supports the business operations of an organization. It involves storing and distributing data it to applications and users, editing it as needed as well as monitoring changes in data and preventing data corruption due to unexpected failure. It’s a component of a company’s informational infrastructure that aids in decision-making and growth of the company as well as compliance with laws such as the GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act.
In the 1960s, Charles Bachman and IBM along with other companies developed the first database systems. They evolved into the information management systems (IMS) that allowed for the storage and retrieve large amounts of data for a broad range of applications, from the calculation of inventory to supporting complicated human resources and financial accounting functions.
A database consists of a set of tables that arrange data according to a particular pattern, for example, one-to-many relationships. It uses primary keys to identify records and allow cross-references between tables. Each table is comprised of a set of attributes, or fields, which provide information about data entities. Relational models, which were developed by E. F. “TedCodd Codd in the 1970s at IBM and IBM, are among the most popular database type currently. This design is based on normalizing the data, making it more easy to use. It is also easier to update data because it does not require the changing of certain sections of the database.
The majority of DBMSs support a variety of databases, offering internal and external levels of organization. The internal level deals with costs, scalability, and other operational issues, such as the layout of the database’s physical storage. The external level determines how the database is presented in user interfaces and other applications. It could include a mix of various external views (based on the different data models) and may also include virtual tables that are created from data that is generic to enhance performance.
