Jimma University
JIT Fundamentals of
Faculty of computing Database systems
&Informatics
Chapter One
Introduction:
Database Systems
Chapter Objectives
At the end the chapter students should able to know:
The meaning of the term ‘database’, DBMS, Database systems.
The characteristics of Database systems.
The problems with the file-based approach.
Uses of database systems and Functions of a DBMS.
Users and actors of database system
Definitions
Data: is a collection of facts and figures that can be processed
to produce information.
Information: is processed data that gives full meaning.
Meta data : is data about the data.
Database: is a collection of related data.
A database is a persistent, logically coherent collection
of inherently meaningful data, relevant to some aspect
of the real world.
A database represents some aspect of the real world,
sometimes called the miniworld or the Universe of
Discourse (UoD).
Database Management System or DBMS
in short refers to the technology of storing and retrieving
users’ data with utmost efficiency along with appropriate
security measures.
A software package/ system to facilitate the creation and
maintenance of a computerized database.
stores data in such a way that it becomes easier to retrieve,
manipulate, and produce information.
Database System:
The DBMS software together with the data itself. Sometimes, the
applications are also included.
Fig. Simplified database system environment
Typical DBMS Functionality
Define a particular database in terms of its data types,
structures, and constraints
Construct or Load the initial database contents on a secondary
storage medium
Manipulating the database:
Retrieval: Querying, generating reports
Modification: Insertions, deletions and updates to its content
Accessing the database through Web applications
File System: A Physical Interface
Student
Year
Student Admin Lists
Data
Course Timetable
Scheduler
Data
Lecturer Money
Data Payroll
Transfer
7
DBMS: A Logical Interface
University Database Lab
Data Timetable
Database
course Management Teaching
student System Schedule
lecturer
Tutorials
Data Dictionary
or
System Catalog
University
?QUERIES
Database
Metadata
8
File System Approach
• Uncontrolled redundancy
• Inconsistent data
• Concurrency problem
• Limited data sharing
• Poor enforcement of standards
• Security Problem
• Data Integrity Problems
9
Advantage Of DBMS-
DBMS was a new concept then, and all the research was done to make it
overcome the deficiencies in traditional style of data management.
1. Isolation of data and application − A database system is
entirely different than its data.
A database is an active entity, whereas data is said to be passive, on
which the database works and organizes. DBMS also stores
metadata, which is data about data, to ease its own process.
2. Improved data integrity − is usually expressed in terms of
constraints, which are consistency rules that the database is not
permitted to violate.
For example, an integrity constraint could state that a member of
staff’s salary cannot be greater than $40,000
Advantage Of DBMS-
3. Less redundancy − DBMS follows the rules of normalization,
which splits a relation when any of its attributes is having
redundancy in values.
Normalization is a mathematically rich and scientific process that
reduces data redundancy.
4. Consistency− Consistency is a state where every relation in a
database remains consistent.
There exist methods and techniques, which can detect attempt of
leaving database in inconsistent state.
A DBMS can provide greater consistency as compared to earlier
forms of data storing applications like file-processing systems.
Advantage Of DBMS-
5. Enforcement of standards − enforcement of standards Again,
integration allows the DBA to define and the DBMS to enforce
the necessary standards.
These may include departmental, organizational, national, or
international standards for things:
as data formats to facilitate exchange of data
between systems
naming conventions
Documentation standards, update procedures, and
access rules
6. Multiuser and Concurrent Access − DBMS supports multi-user
environment and allows them to access and manipulate data in
parallel.
7. Multiple views − DBMS offers multiple views for different users. A
user who is in the Sales department will have a different view of
database than a person working in the Production department.
8. Security − Features like multiple views offer security to some
extent where users are unable to access data of other users and
departments.
DBMS offers many different levels of security features, which enables
multiple users to have different views with different features.
Users
A typical DBMS has users with different rights and permissions
who use it for different purposes.
Some users retrieve data and some back it up.
The users of a DBMS can be broadly categorized as follows −
I. Administrators − maintain the DBMS and are responsible for
administrating the database.
responsible to look after its usage and by whom it should be used.
Can create access profiles for users and apply limitations to
maintain isolation and force security.
Look after DBMS resources like system license, required tools,
and other software and hardware related maintenance.
II. Designers − are the group of people who actually work on the
designing part of the database.
Keep a close watch on what data should be kept and in what
format.
Identify and design the whole set of entities, relations,
constraints, and views.
III. End Users − End users are those who actually reap the
benefits of having a DBMS.
End users can range from simple viewers who pay
attention to the logs or market rates to sophisticated users
such as business analysts.
Categories of End-users
Casual: access database occasionally when needed
Naïve or Parametric: they make up a large section of the
end-user population.
They use previously well-defined functions in the form of
“canned transactions” against the database.
Examples are bank-tellers or reservation clerks who do this
activity for an entire shift of operations.
Sophisticated:
These include business analysts, scientists, engineers,
others thoroughly familiar with the system capabilities.
Many use tools in the form of software packages that
work closely with the stored database.
Stand-alone:
Mostly maintain personal databases using ready-to-use
packaged applications.
An example is a tax program user that creates its own
internal database.
Another example is maintaining an address book
Database Actors
Database
Designers “on the scenes”
Database End Users
Administrator • sophisticated
• casual
(DBA) • ‘parametric’ or
‘canned’ transactions
Database
DBMS developers Operators and Maintenance
Tool Developers Personnel “behind the scenes”
Database Management System 8
End!!!