An Overview of the Salient Features, Components of DBMS for Beginners

A database management system (DBMS) refers to a software program companies operate to manage the information on their business databases. Its primary functions are storing, classifying, updating, retrieving, or deleting the databases. In doing so, it maintains all the necessary security requirements to prevent any unauthorized access. A database management system acts as an interface between the end-user and business databases within the companies’ computers. The general features of this software program are as follows:

A catalog providing an in-depth account of the metadata which is accessible to all the end-users,
An elaborate DBMS library management system maintaining the various rows, columns, and indexes,

• Data security modules monitoring log-in timings, auditing all online activities and enforcing constraints,
• Support modules for ensuring data integrity during the processing of transactions by multiple users,
• Support attributes enforcing authorization privileges for accessing the data even from remote locations,
• Back-up attributes archive the ever-increasing volume of business data for future use, and Data recovery attributes to deal with the damage resulting from the fallout of cyber-attack or power outages.

Basic components of business database management systems

The databases management systems companies use for their commercial operations generally differ in form and functionality. According to remotedba.com professional DBAs in the field state that all of them contain the following key components:

The software program consists of a series of applications that monitor and manage the database,
Set procedures that are the general guidelines to the end-users on how to operate the database,
Database access language is the software application via which end-users write out commands to access, store, update, retrieve or delete data,

• The query processor that converts an end-user’s instructions or queries into a series of operations which the database performs,
• The data manager is the cache that handles all the data within the database, including recovery procedures,
• Run-time database manager, which is the key software component converting the users’ queries into operations while maintaining data integrity,
• A Data dictionary is a specific space within the database that contains important read-only information about the database, and the
• A report generator is a specific program responsible for extracting information from numerous files and presenting it in a specific format.

Types of databases

• The types of business databases companies operate to conduct their commercial operations fall under the following categories:
• The Hierarchical Database model, which organizes the business data in a tree-like structure representing a parent-child relationship,
• The Network Model overcomes the shortcomings of the hierarchical database where the data in every child record has multiple parents,
• The Relational Database model represents the business data in a series of tables consisting of multiple rows and columns, and
• The Object-Oriented Model stores and represents the business data as objects rather than in tables.

Objectives of using DBMS to run databases

Esteemed experts from database management and administration company,  state that businesses have unique goals when it comes to operating their database systems. However, some of them are common for a majority of organizations when it comes to effective performance tuning, seamless business operations, and growth.

The companies’ objectives of operating database management systems (DBMS) to run their business databases are as follows:

• Use the latest software technology to create a vast central repository for storing their vital commercial data,
• Minimize data duplication, which results in unnecessary costs, wastage of valuable storage space and time,
• Ensure multiple end-users can access the same data on the database to discharge their responsibilities,
• Protect sensitive business and clients’ data from various forms of unauthorized access and cyber-attacks,
• Back-up important business data at the end of companies’ office hours and recover it in the aftermath of a cyber-attack,
• To conduct validity checks to ensure the accuracy, authenticity, and consistency of business data within the database, and
• Ensure the scalability of the database to meet the ever-increasing volume of business data resulting from commercial transactions,

Who is responsible for operating the companies’ database management systems?

Database management systems allow companies to organize and manage the online files containing their business data. This enables end-users, such as employees and top managers, to instantly access this information. They can then manipulate the data using insert, update, or edit commands when performing their duties. The responsibility of ensuring the companies’ database management systems work efficiently falls on the database administrator. He has a team of software specialists to assist him in carrying out his duties. The functions they perform are as follows:

• Properly installing and maintaining the software applications with database management systems,
• Adopting the best industry-specific back-up and disaster recovery procedures to prevent data loss,
• Identifying the vulnerabilities of the database management system to potential cyber-attacks and take necessary action,
• Monitoring the users’ online activities database management systems and fine-tune their performance,
• Carrying out data archiving, masking and partitioning tasks, and
• Granting, enforcing, and monitoring employee access privileges according to work designations

Advantages of operating database management systems

Companies enjoy the following advantages by operating a suitable database management system to run their business databases:

• Allows multiple end-users to access and manipulate data within the database quickly and respond to results,
• Simplifies data search, modification, and retrieval for end-users and eliminates the need to write elaborate programs
• Enforces stringent data security measure to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access and cyber-attacks,
• Minimizes data inconsistencies which occur when end-users record the same information in different places within the database,
• Enables the top managers to make better decisions based on accuracy, authenticity, and timeliness of available data,
• Boosts the employees’ productivity as they instantly access the data, they need to perform their duties,
• Provides the top management with an integrated view of companies’ operations and how one segment affects another,
• The operating costs of maintaining elaborate database management systems are generally =nominal.

Installing and operating a suitable database management system enables companies to run their business efficiently. With it, professional and qualified DBAs and IT specialists can monitor their customers’ needs, inventory finances, and performance in the market. However, these corporate enterprises need to choose the right one for their businesses. In doing so, they should keep in mind certain factors. These include their organizational goals, cost considerations, data security concerns, and user-friendliness. Moreover, they have decided whether to operate it in-house or use cloud technology for the task.