Database management is a method for managing the data that supports a company’s business operations. It includes data storage and distribution to application programs and users and then modifying it if necessary and monitoring the changes in the data and preventing it from being corrupted by unexpected failure. It is a part of a company’s informational infrastructure that supports decision-making and growth of the company as well as compliance with laws like the GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act.
In the 1960s, Charles Bachman and IBM along with others created the first database systems. They evolved into information management systems (IMS), which allowed huge amounts of data to be stored and retrieved for a variety of reasons. From calculating inventory to aiding complex financial accounting functions as well as human resource functions.
A database is a set of tables that store data according to a particular pattern, for example, one-to-many relationships. It utilizes primary keys to identify records and allows cross-references between tables. Each table contains a set of attributes, or fields, that contain information about data entities. The most widely used type of database that is currently in use is a relational model developed by E. F. “Ted” Codd at IBM in the 1970s. The concept is based on normalizing data to make it easier to use. It is also easier to update data because it doesn’t require the modification of several databases.
Most DBMSs can support different types of databases by offering different levels of internal and external organization. The internal level is concerned with costs, scalability, and other operational concerns, such as the layout bflybook.com of the physical storage. The external level is the way the database is presented in user interfaces and other applications. It could include a mix of different external views based on different data models. It also could include virtual tables that are computed using generic data to enhance the performance.