Database management is a method for managing the data that supports a company’s business operations. It involves storing data, disseminating it to users and applications and editing it when needed, monitoring data changes, and protecting against data corruption due to unexpected failure. It is a component of the overall informational infrastructure of a business that aids in decision-making in corporate growth, as well as compliance with laws such as the GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act.
The first database systems were invented in the 1960s by Charles Bachman, IBM and others. They developed into information management systems (IMS) which allowed large amounts data to be stored and retrieved for a range of reasons. From calculating inventory, to aiding complex financial accounting functions and human resource functions.
A database is a set of tables that arrange data according to a certain scheme, like one-to many relationships. It uses primary key to identify records and allow cross-references among tables. Each table has a variety of fields, also known as attributes, that contain information about the data entities. The most well-known type of database that is currently in use is a relational model designed by E. F. ”Ted” Codd at IBM in the 1970s. This model is based upon normalizing the data, making it easier to use. It is also simpler to update data because it does not require changing many sections of the databases.
Most DBMSs can accommodate multiple types of databases through different levels of external and internal organization. The internal level deals with cost, scalability, as well as other operational issues, like the physical layout of the database. The external level is how the database appears 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 calculated using generic data in order to improve the performance.
