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Fundamental Concepts

19 January, 2016 - 14:28

A Database is a shared collection of related data which is used to support the activities of a particular organization. A database can be viewed as a repository of data that is defined once and then is accessed by various users. A database has the following properties:

  • It is a representation of some aspect of the real world; or perhaps, a collection of data elements (facts) representing real-world information.
  • A database is logical, coherent and internally consistent.
  • A database is designed, built, and populated with data for a specific purpose.
  • Each data item is stored in a field,
  • A combination of fields makes up a table. For example: an employee table contains fields that contain data about an individual employee

A Database Management System (DBMS) is a collection of programs that enable users to create, maintain databases and control all the access to the databases. The primary goal of the DBMS is to provide an environment that is both convenient and efficient for users to retrieve and store information.

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Figure 2.1
 

https://cnx.org/content/m28150/latest/ With the database approach, we can have the traditional banking system as shown in the following image.