Database management is a system of managing information that a company needs to run its business operations. It involves storing data, distributing it to users and applications and editing it when needed and monitoring changes to data and preventing data corruption due to unexpected failure. It is one component of a company’s overall informational infrastructure which aids in decision making and growth for the business as well as compliance with laws such as the GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act.
The first database systems were developed in the 1960s by Charles Bachman, IBM and others. They developed into information management systems (IMS) which allowed huge amounts of data to be stored and retrieved for a variety of purposes. From calculating inventory to supporting complex financial accounting functions and human resource functions.
A database is a collection of tables that arrange data in accordance with a specific pattern, such as one-to-many relationships. It makes use of primary keys to identify records and allow cross-references between tables. Each table has a set of fields, referred to as attributes, that contain information about data entities. The most popular type of database currently is a relational model, developed by E. F. “Ted” Codd at IBM in the 1970s. This model is based on normalizing the data, making it easier to use. It also makes it easier to update data by avoiding the need to change different sections of the database.
Most DBMSs can support different types of databases by offering different levels of external and internal organization. The internal level addresses costs, scalability, and other operational concerns including the layout of the database’s physical storage. The external level is the way the database is presented in user interfaces and other applications. It could comprise a combination of different external views (based on the various data models) and can also include virtual tables that are created from generic data to improve performance.
