DATABASE APPROACH | CHARACTERISTICS OF DATABASE APPROACH | DBMS
What is Database Approach?
• The Database is a shared COLLECTION OF LOGICALLY RELATED DATA, designed to MEET THE INFORMATION NEEDS OF AN ORGANIZATION.
• A database is a computer based record keeping system whose over all purpose is to record and maintains information.
• The database is a SINGLE, LARGE REPOSITORY OF DATA, WHICH CAN BE USED SIMULTANEOUSLY BY MANY DEPARTMENTS AND USERS.
• Instead of disconnected files with redundant data, ALL DATA ITEMS ARE INTEGRATED with a minimum amount of duplication.
• The database is NO LONGER OWNED BY ONE DEPARTMENT BUT IS A SHARED CORPORATE RESOURCE.
• The database holds not only the organization's OPERATIONAL DATA but also a description of this data.
• For this reason, A DATABASE IS ALSO DEFINED AS A SELF-DESCRIBING COLLECTION OF INTEGRATED RECORDS.
• THE DESCRIPTION OF THE DATA IS KNOWN AS THE DATA DICTIONARY OR META DATA (the 'data about data'). It is the self-describing nature of a database that provides program-data independence.
To make database design more straightforward, DATABASES CONTENTS ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO concepts
• SCHEMA
• DATA
The SCHEMA is the structure of data that indicates “THE RULES” which the Data must obey whereas the DATA are the “FACTS”
CHARACTERISTICS OF DATABASE APPROACH:
1. REPRESENT SOME ASPECTS OF REAL WORLD APPLICATIONS
2. MANAGES INFORMATION
3. DATA FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSE
4. MULTIPLE VIEWS OF DATABASE