Database is a repository or collection of logically related and similar

data.
The file-oriented approach has several drawbacks. Database approach
provides solutions for handling the problems of the file system
approach.
The characteristics of database approach include— minimized data
redundancy, reduced data inconsistency, data sharing, data
independence, integrated data, improved data security,backup and
recovery support, standards enforcement, and reduction in application
development time.
A data model describes the structure of database. Schema contains
information about the description of database. Instances are the actual
data contained in database.
Conceptual Data Model, Representation Data Model and Physical
Data Model are the three types of data models.
Conceptual Data Model defines the functional requirements and data
requirements of user,conceptually, using entity, attribute, and
relationship. E-R model is a conceptual data model.
An entity is a real-world object that exists physically or conceptually.
An attribute describes some property, or characteristics of the entity.
An association or link between two entities is represented using a
relationship.
Hierarchical, relational, and network data models are the three
representation data models.
Table, row, column, key and data values are the terms associated with
a relational model. A table is made up of rows and columns. A key
uniquely identifies a row in a table.
The schema of a hierarchical database model is represented using a tree-
structure diagram. The schema is based on parent-child relationship.
The schema of network database model is represented using a data-
structure diagram. The schema is based on owner-member relationship.
The physical data model describes internal storage structures, access
mechanism, and organization of the files of database.
A database system integrates collection, storage and dissemination of
data required for the different operations of an organization.
Users, Hardware, Software, and Data are the four main components of a
database system.

The architecture of database system is ANSI/SPARC architecture,

divided into three levels—
internal schema describes the physical storage structure, conceptual
schema describes the structure of whole database for users, and external
schema provides a user’s or application’s view of the data.
DBMS is a software system for creating, organizing and managing the
database.
Data independence is the ability to change a schema at one level without
affecting the schema at another level. Data independence is logical data
independence and physical data independence
Data dictionary keeps track of the definitions of data items in the
database, relationships between data structures, indexes used to access
data, and, screen and report format definitions.
DBMS provides a set of languages—DDL, and DML. DDL is used to
define the database schema. DML is a query language for accessing and
manipulating data stored in the database.
SQL is a relational database language that represents a combination of
both DDL and DML.
The architecture ofdatabases is of three kinds—Cen-tralized DBMS
architecture, Client-Server architecture and Distributed Databases.
The three-tier Client-Server architecture is commonly used for web
applications. The client stores the user interface. The web server stores
the business logic part of the application. The DBMS is at the server side.
The database applications are for different purposes like personal
databases, workgroup databases, departmental databases, and
enterprise databases.