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Database Management System

A database management system enables data to be managed in a particular way suitable to a company’s needs. If a company has requirements which are commonly shared, a database management system may be bought off the shelf. Alternatively a database management system can also be developed specifically for the individual needs of a company. A database management system is software led – a platform on which data can sit and be manipulated as needed. A database management system can be extremely complex with many different strands. Users can make use of the database management system by asking specific questions, for example a user could ask the database management system containing supermarket data who buys pasta sauce in jars. The resulting information could point out certain demographic groupings, with the database management system therefore instrumental in supporting future marketing activities.

A well known example of a database management system is Microsoft Access. Also well known is the Oracle database management system and another the SQL database management system. These types of database management system are commonly used throughout the world. Businesses can use the database management system as is, or tailor it to specific needs. Businesses employ specialist staff to look after the database management system and make it work as required. The database management system depends on a database server which contains both the system and the data itself.

There are two ends to a database management system: the logical view and the physical view. The database management system administrators use the physical view to make changes as needed. Users of the database management system use the logical view – i.e. a more basic representation which is logical to the non-specialist user. The term database management system is often abbreviated to DBMS.

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