Database Management Systems (DBMS) are software that provide storage, updating, and retrieval of data in a computer. There are many types of DBMS such as network, hierarchical, relational, and object-oriented. These databases exist in various forms, for example, oracle, SQL server, and clipper. DBMS are essential in information technology and have many minor and major capabilities. DBMS is can define, manipulate and retrieve data in a database.
Amongst the major ones include data security, data manipulation language, transactions support, data independence, data definition, mastering catalog metadata, and a dictionary of data. Most DBMS have software products that allow database administrators to implement required data security controls. Such measures could include setting up user accounts with various security levels thus enabling the user to update their data frequently without data loss or tampering. Data manipulation language is a specialized language that accesses and manipulates the data in a database (Panneerselvam 36). An excellent example of such data manipulation languages is Structure Query Language (SQL). In transaction support, when a user needs to process transactions to update the database, the DBMS keeps track of elements of the transaction hence ensuring that the transaction is closed successfully.
DBMS also have the capability to provide data independence, especially where various types of data in a database may not be visible to all users. It allows database administrators to make ‘views’ of some data that are in accordance with the authorization of each user. According to Panneerselvam, DBMS can define data where it specifies the content and structure of the database (32). It provides from storage the meaning of various commands and words as input by the user. In mastering catalog metadata, DBMS software stores information it might need within itself. Indeed, as a self-storage, the software keeps the data and alongside central control work towards retrieving it. DBMS offer a data dictionary which is a manual or an automated file that keeps data information in a database (Panneerselvam 36). Some of the information stored includes definitions, names, descriptions of data components, and formats.
Why Relational Database Is Powerful
A relational database is powerful because it is the primary method of maintaining and organizing data in today’s information systems. According to Panneerselvam, a relational database uses structure to allow users to recognize and access data concerning other pieces of data in a database (38). The database is also functional because it is easily accessible and flexible. Relational database sorts data in two dimension tables named relations made up of columns and rows (Panneerselvam 42). The bar entails data regarding an organization and its features depending on the information being analyzed. The charts also have critical fields that uniquely recognize each data record for manipulation or retrieval. In the table, the rows represent records of entities while the columns contain fields or attributes. Furthermore, a relational database bar could easily be combined to facilitate data needed by a user so long as two or more tables sharing the same data component.
Another significant feature that renders relational database powerful is that it needs minimal assumptions regarding how data is related and how it would be obtained from the database. Therefore, the same database is viewed in many ways and can also be spread across several tables. Easy data management makes the relational database the most commonly used database within information systems. An excellent example of a relational database used today in many companies is the Microsoft SQL server 2019. It is used to communicate with databases where the standard language is used in the management of relational databases (Panneerselvam 46). SQL statements are applied to execute tasks such as update and retrieval of data.
Conclusion
DBMS have many functions and major capabilities that make them critical in a computer system. Data manipulation, definition, transaction support, and security are among many capabilities of the DBMS. A relational database is critical because as the primary software, it provides easy access and flexibility. A database such as an SQL server is commonly used in major companies. The database also provides storage and retrieval of data when necessary.
Reference
Panneerselvam. Database Management Systems (4th ed.). Phi Learning Pvt, 2018.