Database Systems Free Essay

The advancement of modern technology has significantly revolutionized human life experiences. Before the development of the new information storage and sharing methods that have been made possible by computers, filling techniques such as the use of paper files were used. Not only were the above methods bulky and tedious, but also the information store was difficult to retrieve, and data loss was too frequent. However, modern computerization utilizing different types of computer systems has made the storage, retrieval, and sharing of data more accessible. However, there is more that goes into the computer systems that make it possible to ensure that the required information gets stored and retrieved as intended. Database systems are vital components in data storage, retrieval, and utilization.

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A database system is referred to as a shared collection of logically related data and a description of these data, designed to meet the information needs of an organization (Brent & Fekete, 2019). Database systems work through interaction with database management systems (DBMS), i.e. the software that facilitates communication with end-users and applications, thereby facilitating the utilization of the data stored in the database system. So a DBMS is a software package that creates and manages databases. There are two main types of database structures, i.e. a flat-file database and relational database structures. Different types of database systems exist which can be utilized depending on the kind of information to be stored and used. The most common database systems used include;

• hierarchical database systems.
• Network database systems.
• object-oriented database systems

Hierarchical Database Systems

This type of database management system is created in a hierarchy tree diagram where the relationships between data entries are defined in a one to one manner, i.e. between the parent and child nodes.

As the name suggests, the above DBMS stores raw data in a hierarchy manner where the unprocessed raw data occupies the upper tiers of the hierarchy. As the data gets processed into the desired information, it comes down from the parent to the child node. Different node levels were depending, i.e. hierarchies depending on the nature of the data processing path and desired outcomes. Hierarchical database models create relationships between different data elements, thereby serving as primary reference points in the data analysis process.

Hierarchical databases, however, have certain limitations attributed to them, thus making them less versatile compared to other database management systems. For instance, in the entry of employee information into a hierarchical database, the client information must be broken down into various necessary bits. For example, an employee working in a specific department requires that their data be entered into a parent class/record, i.e. department, and then other subsequent entries fall under different child record nodes. This database model did not facilitate data reuse and thus exhibited recurrence and redundancy. The DBMS was commonly used in new database designs for mainframe computers.

Network Database Model

Network database models are similar to the hierarchical models in that they also utilize a parent tree hierarchy. However, instead of using a single parent tree, network database models use multiple relationships in authority, thereby making it possible for an only child node to have more than one parent.

The main advantage attributed towards the network database model is that the approach facilitates for more natural modelling of the relationships between various entities in the database system in comparison to the hierarchical model (Malik, Burney & Ahmed, 2020). Other advantages attributed to the use of network database models include; the simplicity of creation, flexibility in the access of stored data and also support various data relationships.

The presence of multiple relationships between various hierarchies makes it possible for the sharing of various data sets stored within different nodes. As a result, network database models facilitate data sharing, thereby alleviating instances of redundancy and repetition, which was common in hierarchical database models. The model is often viewed as a bottom-up approach of the parent tree where a single element points out to multiple data elements and can consequently be pointed at by numerous data elements. As a result, the model support data reuse, thereby creating ease in the overall database creation process using the network model.

The disadvantages associated with the network model include; the structure is challenging to change as well as complexities in the database management system. The model also lacks structural independence borrowing heavily from the hierarchical model.

Object-Oriented Database (OODBMS)

In the object-oriented database, the data is represented in the form of objects where different types of relationships are supported between two or more objects. OODBMS are commonly utilized in the creation of relational database management systems and thus are not considered as mainstream database tools. The figure below is a diagrammatic representation of the object-oriented database system.

Object-oriented databases are commonly used in object-oriented programming, where they allow programmers to create and develop products and store them as objects. Due to the compatibility between the OODBMS and the programming language used by the programmer, there is the maintenance of consistency between the database creation process and the operating system programming language (Kossmann & Schlosser, 2020). This, therefore, facilitates for code reuse and sharing, which makes object-oriented database management system suitable for use when running on object-oriented programming languages.

There are numerous advantages associated with the OODBMS including. Given that object-oriented programming is the most widely used programming language currently, most object-oriented database management systems are compatible with the operating systems. As a result, this makes it easy to learn the object-oriented programming languages as well as the database systems associated with the working system language.

Conclusion

Database systems are critical computer tools that help in the effective management, storage, and retrieval of data stored within a computer system. Database systems, in particular, have contributed towards the effective management of the company’s statistical data as well as client data. Through migration to the digital platform and investing in the use of database systems, companies, and other organizations have managed to reduce the bulk of the former storage method as well as the human resources required for the storage and retrieval of stored information.

However, there are various shortcomings associated with the use of computer systems in the storage of data. Malware attacks could result in the loss of sensitive information which can have adverse effects on the affected organization. As a result, data backups are essential to ensure that the stored information can be retrieved if the stored data is lost.

References

Kossmann, J., & Schlosser, R. (2020). Self-driving database systems: a conceptual approach. Distributed and Parallel Databases, 1-23.

Malik, A., Burney, A., & Ahmed, F. (2020). A Comparative Study of Unstructured Data with SQL and NO-SQL Database Management Systems. Journal of Computer and Communications, 8(4), 59-71.

Brent, L., & Fekete, A. (2019, January). A versatile framework for painless benchmarking of database management systems. In Australasian Database Conference (pp. 45-56). Springer, Cham.