Introduction to Database

ITT 04112 – Database Fundamentals

Department of Computer Studies

 Database Introduction

An organization must have accurate and reliable data

(information) for effective decision making.

Data (information) is the backbone and most critical

resource of an organization that enables managers and
organizations to gain a competitive edge.

To run the organization efficiently, the proper

organization and management of data is essential.
 Basics Definitions in Database

1. Data
 The term data may be defined as known facts that could be recorded and
stored on Computer media.
 It is also defined as raw facts from which the required information is
produced.

Data may be either structured or unstructured:

Structured: like numbers, text, dates
Unstructured: like images, video, documents
Basics Definitions in Database…..

2.Information.
 Information is processed, organized or summarized data.
 Information is data that have been put into a meaningful and useful content
and communicated
Basics Definitions…….

3. Meta Data
 A meta data is the data about the data. The meta data describe objects in the
database and makes easier for those objects to be accessed or manipulated.
 The meta data describes the database structure, sizes of data types, constraints,
applications, authorization etc., that are used as an integral tool for information
resource management.
4. Data Dictionary
 The data dictionary contains information of the data stored in the database and is
consulted by the DBMS before any manipulation operation on the database.

• There are different systems that are used to store data and we are going to
look at them in the following slides.
Database History

 In digital era before the invention of database system

many organization and business companies where using
file system approach to store and access their data.
 But the file based system has some disadvantage which
led to inventions of new technology to store and access
data ie database system approach.
File System

Conventionally, the data were stored and processed

using traditional file processing systems.
In these traditional file systems:
 each file is independent of other file, and data in different files can be
integrated only by writing individual program for each application.
A file system is a software that manages and organizes
the files in a storage medium,
File System

 The data and the application programs that uses the data
are so arranged that any change to the data requires
modifying all the programs that uses the data.

 This is because each file is hard-coded with specific

information like data type, data size etc.
File System: Example Banking
System
File System: Example Banking
System

Example: From above fig.

Consider a traditional banking system that uses the
file-based system to manage the organization’s data.
There are different departments in the bank.
 Each has its own applications that manage and
manipulate different data files.
For banking systems, the programs may be used to
debit or credit an account, find the balance of an
account, add a new mortgage loan and generate
monthly statements.
 File System: Example

The file system can be better explained by the diagram

below:
Following are the advantages of a file system:

Backup: Data held in files of computer-based systems

can be backed up more quickly and automatically.
Computer systems provide features that can help with
this. It’s also possible to create a custom application for
this.
Compactness: Data can be stored in a small amount of
space.
Data Retrieval: Computer-based systems offer
improved data retrieval techniques that make it simple
and efficient to retrieve data from files.
Editing: Any information saved on computers in the
form of files can be easily edited. For this, certain
application applications or editing tools can be
employed.
File Sharing: Data saved in computer-based system
files can be shared by several users at the same time.
This method seemed to be effective for the local data
but it came with disadvantages:

 Data redundancy
 Data isolation
 Integrity problems
 Security problems
 Concurrency access
File Based System Approach

 Data redundancy:
 Often, within an organization, files and applications
are created by different programmers from various
departments over long periods of time.
 This can lead to data redundancy, a situation that
occurs in a database when a field needs to be updated
in more than one table.
 This practice can lead to several problems such as:
-Inconsistency in data format
-The same information being kept in several
different places (files)
-Data inconsistency, a situation where various
copies of the same data are conflicting, wastes storage space
and duplicates effort.

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 File Based System Approach

 Data isolation.
 Data isolation is a property that determines when and how
changes made by one operation become visible to other
concurrent users and systems

 This issue occurs in a concurrency situation. This is a problem

because:
-It is difficult for new applications to retrieve the
appropriate data, which might be stored in various files.

Department of Computer Studies 16

 File Based System Approach

 Integrity problems
It refers to the maintenance and assurance that the data in a
database are correct and consistent. Factors to consider when
addressing this issue are:
 Data values must satisfy certain consistency constraints that
are specified in the application programs.
 It is difficult to make changes to the application programs in
order to enforce new constraints.

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 File Based System Approach

Security problems
 Security can be a problem with a file-based approach because:
 There are constraints regarding accessing privileges.
 Application requirements are added to the system in an ad-
hoc (based on need) manner so it is difficult to enforce
constraints.

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File Based System Approach

Concurrency access
 Concurrency is the ability of the database to allow multiple
users access to the same record without adversely affecting
transaction processing.
 A file-based system must manage, or prevent, concurrency by
the application programs.
 Typically, in a file-based system, when an application opens a
file, that file is locked.
 This means that no one else has access to the file at the same
time.
 In database systems, concurrency is managed thus allowing
multiple users access to the same record. This is an important
difference between database and file-based systems.

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 Database System Approach

 The difficulties that arise from using the file-

based system have prompted the development of
a new approach in managing large amounts of
data in business company and organization
which is database approach

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Definitions of Database

A Database May be defined as:

 Def 1: Database is an organized collection of logically
related data

 Def 2: A database is a shared collection of logically

related data that is
 stored to meet the requirements of different users of
an organization

 Def 3: A database is a self-describing collection of

integrated records. 21
 Database System Approach

 Central repository of shared data

 Data is managed by a controlling agent called Database
Management System
 Stored in a standardized, convenient form

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 Advantages of Database Approach

Database System Approach

Library Examination Registration

Library Examination Registration

Applications Applications Applications

Database
Management
System
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 Advantages of Database Approach

Database System Approach

 Data Sharing
 Data Independence
 Controlled Redundancy
 Better Data Integrity

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 Advantages of Database Approach

Database System Approach

Database Management System

 A software system that is used to create, maintain, and

provide controlled access to users of a database

 (Database) application program: A computer program that

interacts with database by issuing an appropriate request
(SQL statement) to the DBMS

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Database System Approach

Database Management System

Department of Computer Studies

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Database System Approach

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