Database management is the method for managing information that supports the company’s business operations. It includes data storage and distribution to users and applications and modifying it as needed and monitoring changes to the data and preventing it from getting damaged due to unexpected failures. It is part of the overall informational infrastructure of a company which supports decision-making, corporate growth, and 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 large amounts data to be stored and retrieved for a range of purposes. From calculating inventory to supporting complex financial accounting functions and human resource functions.
A database is a set of tables that store data in accordance with a certain scheme, like 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, which provide information about the entities that comprise the data. The most well-known type of database today is a relational model, designed by E. F. “Ted” Codd at IBM in the 1970s. This design is based upon normalizing data to make it simpler to use. It also makes it easier to update data since it eliminates the need to change various databases.
Most DBMSs can accommodate multiple database types by providing different levels of external and internal organization jerrythepainter.com. The internal level deals with the cost, scalability, and other operational issues, including the physical layout of the database. The external level is the way the database is displayed in user interfaces and other applications. It could include a mix of different external views that are based on different data models. It also may include virtual table that are calculated using generic data to enhance the performance.
