Information and Communications

Technology
DATABASES– MICROSOFT ACCESS
DATABASES– MICROSOFT ACCESS

• Indicative content:
• Define database
• State examples of databases
• Define DBMS
• State DBMS advantages
• State DBMS disadvantages
• Explain the components of DBMS
• Describe types of Databases
• Explain What Database Servers are

11/10/2021 2
Database Definition
• Database is a collection of related data
• Data is a collection of facts and figures that can be processed to produce
information.
• Mostly data represents recordable facts. Data aids in producing information,
which is based on facts. For example, if we have data about marks obtained by all
students, we can then conclude about toppers and average marks.

11/10/2021 3
Example

• UNIVERSITY database
• Information concerning students, courses, and grades in a university
environment
• Data records
• STUDENT
• COURSE
• SECTION
• GRADE_REPORT
• PREREQUISITE

11/10/2021 4
Database examples
• Some of the examples of a database are as follows:
• MySQL
• PostgreSQL
• Microsoft Access
• SQL Server
• FileMaker
• Oracle
• RDBMS

11/10/2021 5
Database Management System(DBMS)

• A database management system (DBMS) is a collection of programs that manages

the database structure and controls access to the data stored in the database.
• The DBMS serves as the intermediary between the user and the database. The
database structure itself is stored as a collection of files, So, we can access the
data in those files through the DBMS.
• The DBMS receives all application requests and translates them into the complex
operations required to fulfill those requests. The DBMS hides much of the
database’s internal complexity from the application programs and users.

11/10/2021 6
Advantages of Database Management System

1. Improved data sharing

An advantage of the database management approach is, the DBMS helps to create an environment in which
end users have better access to more and better-managed data.

2. Improved data security

The more users access the data, the greater the risks of data security breaches. A DBMS provides a
framework for better enforcement of data privacy and security policies.

3. Better data integration

Wider access to well-managed data promotes an integrated view of the organization’s operations and a
clearer view of the big picture.

11/10/2021 7
4. Minimized data inconsistency
Data inconsistency exists when different versions of the same data appear in different places. The
probability of data inconsistency is greatly reduced in a properly designed database.
5. Improved data access
The DBMS makes it possible to produce quick answers to queries. From a database perspective, a query
is a specific request issued to the DBMS for data manipulation—for example, to read or update the data.
Simply put, a query is a question

6. Improved decision making

Better-managed data and improved data access make it possible to generate better-quality information,
on which better decisions are based. The quality of the information generated depends on the quality of
the underlying data. Data quality is a comprehensive approach to promoting the accuracy, validity, and
timeliness of the data. While the DBMS does not guarantee data quality, it provides a framework to
facilitate data quality initiatives.

11/10/2021 8
7. Increased end-user productivity

The availability of data, combined with the tools that transform data into usable
information, empowers end users to make quick, informed decisions that can make
the difference between success and failure in the global economy

11/10/2021 9
Disadvantages Database Management System
(DBMS):
1. Increased costs
Database systems require sophisticated hardware and software and highly skilled
personnel. The cost of maintaining the hardware, software, and personnel required
to operate and manage a database system can be substantial.
2. Management complexity
The changes introduced by the adoption of a database system must be properly
managed to ensure that they help advance the company’s objectives. Given the
fact that database systems hold crucial company data that are accessed from
multiple sources, security issues must be assessed constantly.

11/10/2021 10
3. Maintaining currency
To maximize the efficiency of the database system, you must keep your system current. Therefore,
you must perform frequent updates and apply the latest patches and security measures to all
components.
Because database technology advances rapidly, personnel training costs tend to be significant.
4. Frequent upgrade/replacement cycles
DBMS vendors frequently upgrade their products by adding new functionality. Such new features
often come bundled in new upgrade versions of the software. Some of these versions require
hardware upgrades.

11/10/2021 11
The components of DBMS
• Components of DBMS
• There are the following components of DBMS:
• Software
• Hardware
• Procedures
• Data
• Users

11/10/2021 12
11/10/2021 13
 • Software
The main component of a Database management system is the software. It is the set of programs
which is used to manage the database and to control the overall computerized database.
The DBMS software provides an easy-to-use interface to store, retrieve, and update data in the
database.
This software component is capable of understanding the Database Access Language and converts it
into actual database commands to execute or run them on the database.

• Hardware
This component of DBMS consists of a set of physical electronic devices such as computers, I/O
channels, storage devices, etc that create an interface between computers and the users.
This DBMS component is used for keeping and storing the data in the database.

11/10/2021 14
 • Procedures
Procedures refer to general rules and instructions that help to design the database
and to use a database management system.
Procedures are used to setup and install a new database management system
(DBMS), to login and logout of DBMS software, to manage DBMS or application
programs, to take backup of the database, and to change the structure of the
database, etc.
• Data
It is the most important component of the database management system.
The main task of DBMS is to process the data. Here, databases are defined,
constructed, and then data is stored, retrieved, and updated to and from the
databases.
The database contains both the metadata (description about data or data about
data) and the actual (or operational) data.

11/10/2021 15
 • Users
The users are the people who control and manage the databases and perform different types of
operations on the databases in the database management system.

11/10/2021 16
Types of Databases
• Centralized Database:

It is the type of database that stores data at a centralized database system. It comforts the users to
access the stored data from different locations through several applications. These applications
contain the authentication process to let users access data securely. An example of a Centralized
database can be Central Library that carries a central database of each library in a college/university.

• Distributed Database:
Unlike a centralized database system, in distributed systems, data is distributed among different
database systems of an organization. These database systems are connected via communication
links. Such links help the end-users to access the data easily. Examples of the Distributed database
are Apache Cassandra, HBase, Ignite, etc

11/10/2021 17
 • Relational Database:
This database is based on the relational data model, which stores data in the form of rows(tuple)
and columns(attributes), and together forms a table(relation). A relational database uses SQL for
storing, manipulating, as well as maintaining the data. E.F. Codd invented the database in 1970.
Each table in the database carries a key that makes the data unique from others. Examples of
Relational databases are MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, etc.

• Cloud Database:
A type of database where data is stored in a virtual environment and executes over the cloud
computing platform. It provides users with various cloud computing services (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, etc.)
for accessing the database. There are numerous cloud platforms, but the best options are:
• Amazon Web Services(AWS)
• Microsoft Azure
• Kamatera

11/10/2021 18
• NoSQL Database:
Non-SQL/Not Only SQL is a type of database that is used for storing a wide range of
data sets. It is not a relational database as it stores data not only in tabular form but
in several different ways. It came into existence when the demand for building
modern applications increased. Thus, NoSQL presented a wide variety of database
technologies in response to the demands.
• Key-value storage: It is the simplest type of database storage where it stores every single
item as a key (or attribute name) holding its value, together.
• Document-oriented Database: A type of database used to store data as JSON-like document.
It helps developers in storing data by using the same document-model format as used in the
application code.
• Graph Databases: It is used for storing vast amounts of data in a graph-like structure. Most
commonly, social networking websites use the graph database.
• Wide-column stores: It is similar to the data represented in relational databases. Here, data
is stored in large columns together, instead of storing in rows.

11/10/2021 19
• Hierarchical Databases:
It is the type of database that stores data in the form of parent-children relationship nodes. Here, it
organizes data in a tree-like structure.
Data get stored in the form of records that are connected via links. Each child record in the tree will
contain only one parent. On the other hand, each parent record can have multiple child records.

11/10/2021 20
• Network Databases:
It is the database that typically follows the network data model. Here, the representation of data is
in the form of nodes connected via links between them. Unlike the hierarchical database, it allows
each record to have multiple children and parent nodes to form a generalized graph structure.

11/10/2021 21
Database server
• A database server is a computer system that provides other computers with
services related to accessing and retrieving data from a database. Access to the
database server may occur via an interface (front end) running locally a user's
machine, or "back end" running on the database server itself, accessed by remote
shell.
• After the information in the database is retrieved, it is outputted to the user
requesting the data.

• All database functions are controlled by the database server. Any type of
computer can be used as database server. It may be microcomputer,
minicomputer or mainframe computer. In large organization networks, the
mainframe computers are used as server

11/10/2021 22
• It provides concurrent access control. It provides better security and server hides
the DBMS from clients. It provides the multi-user environment. Several users can
access the database simultaneously. All the data is stored on the data server
therefore, the Database Administrator can easily create the backup of the
database

11/10/2021 23
NEXT LESSON
• Will discuss considerations when planning or designing a database
• Explaining MS Access Database components
• Explaining how you can Protect Data Integrity in MS Access
• Explaining different types of table relationships
• Creating the Relationship Between Tables

11/10/2021 24
Thank You.