Database Management Services

A database management system (DBMS) is a system for the management of any collection of compatible, and ideally normalized, data.

A relational database is a collection of data structured in accordance with the relational model. Database management systems are often used to implement relational databases in software.

A database application is computer software written to manage the data of a particular application or problem. Features and Abilities

One can characterize a DBMS as an "attribute management system" where attributes are small chunks of information that describe something. For example, "color" is an attribute of a car. The value of the attribute may be a color such as "red", "blue", "silver", etc. Lately databases have been modified to accept large or unstructured (pre-digested or pre-categorized) information as well such as images and text documents. However, the main focus is still on descriptive attributes.

DBMS roll together frequently-needed services or features of attribute management. This allows one to get powerful functionality "out of the box" rather than program each from scratch or add and integrate them incrementally. Such features include:

* Persistence - Attributes are permanently stored on a hard-drive or other fast, reliable medium until explicitly removed or changed. * Query Ability - Querying is the process of requesting attribute information from various perspectives and combinations of factor. Example: "How many 2-door cars in Texas are green?" * Concurrency - Many people may want to change and read the same attributes at the same time. If there are not organized, predetermined rules for sharing changes, then the attributes may grow inconsistent or misleading. For example, if you change the color attribute of car 7 to be "blue" at the very same time somebody is changing it to "red", then you may not see your change when you go to view the attributes of the car you thought you just changed. DBMS provide various tools and techniques to deal with such issues. "Transactions" and "locking" are two common techniques for concurrency management. * Backup and Replication - Often copies of attributes need to be made in case primary disks or equipment fails or if a distant organizations needs a periodic copy of attributes because they cannot readily access the original. DBMS provides utilities to facilitate the process of extracting and disseminating attribute sets. * Rule Enforcement - Often one wants to apply rules to attributes so that the attributes are clean and reliable. For example, we may have a rule that says each car can have only one engine identification number. If somebody tries to put a second engine number attribute on a given car, we want the DBMS to deny such a request. * Security - Often it is desirable to limit who can see or change which attributes or groups of attributes. After all, you don't want anybody on the street to be able to change your license plate number in government automobile databases. * Computation - There are common computations requested on attributes such as counting, summing, averaging, sorting, grouping, cross-referencing, etc. Rather than have each computer application implement these from scratch, they can rely on the DBMS to supply such calculations. * Change and Access Logging - Often times one wants to know who accessed what attributes, what was changed, and when it was changed. Logging services allow this by keeping a record of access occurrences and changes. * Automated optimization - If there are frequently occurring usage patterns or requests, some DBMS can adjust themselves to improve the speed of those interactions. In some cases the DBMS will merely provide tools to monitor performance, allowing a human expert to make the necessary adjustments after reviewing the statistics collected. * Meta-data Repository - Meta-data is information about information. For example, a listing that describes what attributes are allowed to be in data sets is called "meta-information". * Modeling Tool - A DBMS can also act as a modeling tool. It can be used to model various nouns found in the environment by describing the attributes associated with such nouns and how the nouns and attributes relate to each other.

What does this mean to you?

By developing a new database system or improving on a pre-existing system, your business will be more effienct which means more profitable. You can server your customers better with information readily available at a moment's notice.

There is no limit to what a database system can do for you. It can manage finances, orders, internal and external sales, customer data...anything at all. Any information that you want to record and keep safe can be developed into a multirelational database.

Send us a note and let us help you find ways to improve your information management!