Databases to the Rescue
INTRODUCTION
Information is everywhere and we are basically flooded with data in our day-to-day life. For this reason, it is necessary to have a method of dealing with data so users are able to access it in a precise way. Databases are here to the rescue and I will do my best to provide a very general but useful description of this important technology in the following lines.
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WHAT
A simple definition for a database is: “A database is an organized collection of data”. A database is a very important tool because businesses need to efficiently manage a huge amount of information and because data is an extremely valuable asset. There are several types of databases but one that is widely used is the so called relational database, a model initially proposed by Edgar Frank Codd in 1970. This relational database model consists of several files (commonly called tables) that are directly and/or indirectly interrelated among them. For example, an inventory information system might have data about items, item categories, purchase orders, sale quotations, purchase invoices, sales invoices. These pieces of data have a common relation that must be considered to effectively manage it even in a manual process.
HOW
Until now, we already know what a database is but, how do we actually implement it? There is a tool called a relational database management system, or RDBMS for short, which is specialized and complex software that helps setup, configure and manage a database, perform operations on its data and interact with different types of users like end-users and database administrators. In this way, information can be added or created, read, updated and deleted in a systematic way. These are the basic operations to a database and are known under the acronym of CRUD. Among the many important features of a RDBMS, one that is worth to mention is that information from a database can be looked up (generally known as queried using database terminology) by virtually any criteria.
Some examples of RDBMS’s are Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Firebird, to name a few. These are powerful enterprise class systems that allow managing hundreds of thousands and even millions of data records very effectively. Something that is worth mentioning is that, while some of them are available for free, like PostgreSQL and Firebird, it does not mean that such products are of low quality. Personally, I have used PostgreSQL for 15 years with excellent results and no problems at all.
WHO
An important question is: how do end-users interact with a database? Database administrators and operators deal directly with it through the RDBMS, but end-users need a transparent way of communication. Well, this is commonly achieved by special user interfaces that are designed when an information system is developed. In this way, an end-user does not even notice the presence of a database and a RDBMS; all he/she sees is a computer screen with some fields to type and some buttons to click. With the help of well-designed user interfaces end-users maintain a two-way communication with the database.
In summary, a database is a well-organized collection of data entities that allows the effective management of large amounts of information using a tool called relational database management system known as, RDBMS.
