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9 views3 pages

Document 33 (1)

Uploaded by

manisharma0175
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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DATABASE:

A database is an organized collection of structured information or data, typically stored


electronically in a computer system. Databases are managed by Database Management Systems
(DBMS), which provide tools to create, read, update, and delete data in the database.

Data refers to raw, unprocessed facts and figures without any context or meaning. Data can come in
various forms, such as numbers, text, images, or sounds, and is often collected from different sources. In
its raw state, data is not useful or meaningful until it is processed and analyzed.

Characteristics of Data:

• Raw: Data is unprocessed and unorganized.


• Discrete: Data points are often individual and standalone.
• Objective: Data is factual and does not have any interpretation attached to it.

Information

Information is data that has been processed, organized, and interpreted to provide meaning and context.
Information is useful because it answers questions such as who, what, where, when, and how. By
analyzing data and extracting relevant insights, it is transformed into information that can be used for
decision-making and problem-solving.

Characteristics of Information:

• Processed: Information is derived from processing and organizing data.


• Contextual: Information has context and meaning.
• Interpretive: Information provides insight and understanding

Data Processing: The process of converting the facts into meaningful information is known as data
processing. Data processing is also known as information processing.

Metadata

Metadata is data that provides information about other data. It helps to describe, manage, and utilize data
more effectively by giving context and additional details. Metadata is essential for organizing, finding, and
understanding data, especially in large datasets or databases.

Database System Applications

1. Banking: For customer information, accounts, and loans, and banking transactions.

2. Airlines: For reservations and schedule information. Airlines were among the first to use databases in a
geographically distributed manner

3. Universities: For student information, course registrations, and grades.


4. Credit card transactions: For purchases on credit cards and generation of monthly statements.

5. Telecommunication: For keeping records of calls made, generating monthly bills, maintaining balances
on prepaid calling cards, and storing information about the communication networks.

6. Finance: For storing information about holdings, sales, and purchases of financial instruments such as
stocks and bonds.

7. Sales: For a customer, product, and purchase information.

8. Manufacturing: For the management of supply chain and for tracking the production of items in factories,
inventories of items in warehouses / stores, and orders for items.

9. Human resources: For information about employees, salaries, payroll taxes and benefits, and for a
generation of paychecks.

Drawbacks of File Processing System

1. Data Redundancy and Inconsistency:


a. Multiple files often contain the same data, leading to redundancy. This can result in
inconsistency if one instance of the data is updated but others are not.
2. Data Isolation:
a. Data is scattered across multiple files, making it difficult to access and combine data from
different sources. This isolation hampers data retrieval and integration efforts.
3. Difficulty in Accessing Data:
Retrieving data from a file processing system often requires complex and time-consuming
programming. Queries have to be written specifically for each access pattern, leading to inflexibility.
4. Limited Data Security:
• File processing systems typically lack robust security features. Controlling access to sensitive data
and ensuring data privacy is difficult.

5. Data Dependence:

• Application programs are tightly coupled with data files. Any change in the data format or structure
requires modifications to all associated programs, leading to high maintenance costs.

Advantages of a Database Management System (DBMS)

Database Management Systems (DBMS) offer numerous advantages over traditional file processing
systems. Here are some key benefits:

1. Data Integrity and Consistency:


a. DBMS ensures that data integrity and consistency are maintained by enforcing rules and
constraints on the data. This helps prevent data corruption and ensures that the data
remains accurate and reliable.
2. Data Redundancy and Duplication Control:
a. DBMS minimizes data redundancy by storing data in a centralized database, reducing
duplication of data across different applications and systems. This leads to more efficient
data storage and management.
3. Data Security:
a. DBMS provides robust security features such as user authentication, access controls, and
encryption to protect sensitive data. It ensures that only authorized users can access and
manipulate the data
4. Data Independence:
• DBMS separates the data from the application programs, allowing changes to the database
structure without affecting the applications. This ensures data independence and simplifies
database maintenance.

5. Backup and Recovery:


• DBMS provides automated backup and recovery mechanisms to protect data from loss or damage.
It ensures that data can be restored in case of hardware failure, software malfunction, or other
catastrophic events.

6. Efficient Data Access:


• DBMS provides sophisticated query languages like SQL (Structured Query Language) to efficiently
retrieve and manipulate data. It uses indexing and optimization techniques to speed up data
access and improve performance.

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