A database is a collection of information stored in the system. Usually, data is sorted and stored in a table with rows and columns but that is depending on the database type. Data inside the database are controlled by the database management system (DBMS). DBMS allows users to access create, read, updated, and delete data through Structured Query Language (SQL). SQL is a programming language broadly used across the globe by almost all relational databases for querying, manipulating, and defining data and providing control access for the user (Oracle, 2022).
We can define several types of databases but the most popular ones are:
Object-oriented databases (OOD) - are systems that concentrate around an object. In OOD everything is an object which contains property and method. Object-oriented databases use a specific language to manipulate the object and retrieve the required data (MongoDB, 2022).
NoSQL databases - are some kind of opposite of relational databases, NoSQL is not relying on the database structure which affects more flexibility and adaptation to the different kinds of environments, the main popularity gained from web applications which are the most common place of use NoSQL (Riak, 2022).
Cloud databases - is a type of data where structured or unstructured data are stored on the cloud computing platform. The cloud can be private, public, or hybrid depending on the requirement, we can separate the cloud database into two models traditional and service (DBaaS). Traditional is taking full control and responsibility of the database whereas the DBaaS is controlled and maintained by the service provider. (Oracle, 2022).
Relational databases - come to life beginning of the 1980s and since then is the most used and recognized type of database in the world. Relational databases use a table system with rows and columns to store data which provides the most flexible way to access information (Oracle, 2022). Tables are connected to other tables through a primary key or foreign key relationship designed to create many-to-one relationships between tables.
Primary keys - is the first column in a table with a unique value that identifies a row in the table. DBMS is not allowing duplication, primary keys have to be unique values in a table (IBM, 2021).
Foreign keys - a column that directly corresponds to the primary key in another table, to create a row with a foreign key value, there has to be an existing table with the same primary key value to create a connection between tables (IBM, 2021).
The creation of a database makes a big step in the development of civilization, they are several advantages of using databases for example:
Reducing overload of data - storing data in different locations or a file can lead to a situation where this same piece of information (copies) is stored in several locations which course data to be duplicated and overflowed. The database provides one location and users to control the data and does not allows duplication which reduces the overflow and increases the accuracy of the storing of information (Castro, 2020).
Sharing of Data - DBMS allow to control and share a specific piece of information with other in a quick and easy way. It also provides the ability to set the authorization level which allows the administrator to determine which piece of information can be shared and which was not (Castro, 2020).
Data Integrity provides accurate and consistent information all the time. Integrity checks provided by the database system check accuracy of data, if the data entered meet all of the criteria if they are no null values in the data, and much more (Castro, 2020).
Data Security is one of the biggest advantages of a database. Only users authorized to work with the database can access it through username and password. On top of that, there are different authentication levels that can be set up by administrators to reduce the risk of information leak
Backup - The database Management System provides automatic backup of all data stored in a database which prevents data to be lost in case of system issues (Castro, 2020).
Reference:
MongoDB, 2022. What Is An Object-Oriented Database?. [online] MongoDB. Available at: <https://www.mongodb.com/databases/what-is-an-object-oriented-database#:~:text=An%20object%2Doriented%20database%20(OOD,having%20different%20properties%20and%20methods.> [Accessed 1 September 2022].
Oracle, 2022. What is a database?. [online] Oracle.com. Available at: <https://www.oracle.com/uk/database/what-is-database/> [Accessed 1 September 2022].
Riak, 2022. NoSQL Databases. [online] Riak. Available at: <https://riak.com/resources/nosql-databases/index.html?p=9937.html> [Accessed 1 September 2022].
Castro, K., 2020. Advantages of Database Management System. [online] Tutorialspoint.com. Available at: <https://www.tutorialspoint.com/Advantages-of-Database-Management-System> [Accessed 1 September 2022].
IBM, 2021. IBM Documentation. [online] Ibm.com. Available at: <https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/ida/9.1?topic=entities-primary-foreign-keys> [Accessed 1 September 2022].
Comments
Post a Comment