All You Ever Wanted To Know About Database Management Software

Welcome. Everything is fine!

You have made it into The Good Place. We mean, the digital version of The Good Place. While you may not be able to eat frozen yogurt that tastes exactly what it feels like when your phone is 100% charged, there are other benefits. For example, here you can learn all about accessing, organizing and managing your entire database easily. No need to call Janet; all you need is a Database Management Software — and that tastes just as good!

Database Management Software is the Janet of the digital world. Just like your favorite not-a-girl informational assistant who carries all the knowledge you need, this software helps control and access all your business knowledge stored across various databases. So hop on and learn all about database management system with Janet; how it works, its evolution, benefits, importance and future trends!
 

What Is Database Management Software? Janet Will Answer That for You!

What is a Database Management Software you ask? Okay, calm down, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You need to know about databases first, right? A database aims to safely collect business data in one central place. Every bit of business information is stored in a database. Now, a database management system is a tool that stores and retrieves said data from a database in a secure and controlled manner. Makes sense!

While it gets all data in place for you, it also is kind enough to take security measures to ensure this data can’t be hacked. Database Management Software (or DBMS) can be installed on a company’s computer server that stores important information (customer data, cookie IDs, business metrics, etc.) in one central hub. This software can also provide tools that help save time, easily update and modify databases as well as organize data into easily understandable formats. Super helpful, right?

In essence, DBMS centralizes multimedia files, financial resources, customer information, product data and anything else you can think of. Wow, it’s a busy bee like Janet! The main takeaway is that it manages, protects and organizes business data to allows it to be accessed by authenticated users and organized based on business policies.

Did you know: Janet was created by the unknown beings called "The Makers of Light, Darkness, and Everything in Between" - thankfully, DBMS has a simpler background.  
 

Time For A Fun Little History Lesson With Janet!

DBMS can be tracked all the way back to the 1960s. The 1960s was the start of computerized databases. Additionally, Charles Bachman designed the first DBMS (three cheers for Mr. Bachman!). In the following decade, the 1970s, E.F. Codd published a paper proposing a relational database model; this became the new standard for databases.

Then, a couple of decades later, the next key historical DBMS moment: the 1990s. (All we remember is Justin Timberlake’s Ramen noodle hair…*shudder*). In the 1990s, was a great big invention known as the Internet, which led to digital databases being implemented more than ever before. Moreover, now databases could share information over the Internet. In the late-1990s to 2000s, more online activities meant businesses generated more data and needed more digital databases to store business data.

Finally, in the late 2000s, online databases were present everywhere. As the world became ever more digitized, databases and the data in it grew more complex and had to be streamlined to create easier access. Database Management Software stepped up its game to become the answer to these issues and we saw emergence of Oracle dbms, IBM db2, Microsoft sql server, SolarWinds database performance analyzer and may more.

Today, for many workplaces, whether Ecommerce or traditional brick-and-mortar businesses, DBMS is crucial. Every business uses a DBMS to manage their databases – you knew that, right? Yet, do you know how they work.

Well, read on!
 

Let’s See What Makes DBMS Tick!

 
DBMS works with the use of the Structured Query Language or SQL. What’s that, you ask? It is a scripted method that enables users to interact with a database. DBMS also provides users a graphical interface to easily view, select, access or change data in the database. DBMS displays tables to show the relationships between datasets, allowing further convenience when dealing with larger datasets.

For security purposes, DBMS allows the database to be accessed only by those who has the authorization. Are you picturing a big bad beefy bouncer? Well, that’s what a DBMS does that for you! Your users better have the right access code, or you’re not getting in!

Moreover, encrypted constraints, regular data backup and business rules engine keep data from accidentally being duplicated or erased. That’s a relief! Together, these features make every DBMS tick and ensure businesses can rely on their databases. We’re sure you see why they are so important – yet, here’s a brief look at how important DBMS can be!
 

You Need DBMS Like Derek Needs Janet!

DBMS is particularly useful for businesses or teams that deal with a high volume of information/data. However, DBMS can be used by any business that wants data storage along with data security. This means rather than juggling through multiple folders and Excel files, you can access critical data in a timely and seamless manner.

Those who need multiple user access also need a DBMS. Businesses that work with sensitive data and need better security protocols, multiple views of the data and secure multi-user data-sharing (especially across the globe) direly need a DBMS solution. It is particularly helpful in the Ecommerce domain, as businesses need to collect customer data, transactional information, financial credentials, etc. DBMS ensure only the authorized people can access or view this data.

Moreover, sectors such as telecommunications, sales, finance, banking, marketing, etc. also need DBMS as they work with large datasets with potential PII (Personal Identifying Information). Although, any business that generates, collects or stores data can (and must!) leverage DBMS to securely store and easily access business data. However, as the type of data varies, so do the type of software.
 

So Many Flavors Of DBMS!

Although Janet’s favorite food was bananas, we love different flavors! Similarly, DBMS includes four types of models: hierarchical, network, relational and object-oriented. Here’s how they all differ.

Hierarchical models organize data in the database system in a tree-like structure. The data is stored in a hierarchical format so data can be accessed in a top-down and bottom-up approach (think of a tree going from the top branch to the bottom roots and the other way around). You can also think of a family chart, where there is one common ancestor (main dataset) that branches down into different children, grandchildren, etc.

Network models can be compared to the parent-child relationship mentioned above, but flipped: here, each child has multiple parents (or multiple user in this case). These models help businesses address the need to model complex relationships, where there is a many-to-many relationship structure. (More relationships than those forming on Bachelor in Paradise!) Using network models, entities can be organized through several pathways that can all be accessed in one core visual graph.

Relational models are the most widely used DBMS models. The reason for this? They are the easiest of the four models as this type of model normalizes data in rows and columns as a data table. This organizes data in fixed structures and uses SQL to manipulate the data. See, easy-peasy!

Finally, we have the object-oriented model. This type of model stores relational data in the form of objects (a region of storage that contains a value or group of values). This structure classifies data using ‘classes’ and displays data within it. Here, a database is defined as a collection of objects or classes that both can help in data storage as well as operations. #SuperCool

Depending on your business need, you can use different types of DBMS solutions. The common factor is that your business needs to use this tool and here’s why!
 

Good Place? No, DBMS Is A Great Place For Data!

The features of DBMS can vary from type to type. Yet, all DBMS can create a single view of data, provide centralized and automated access, store sensitive data with high security and provide automation features as well. This results in various benefits such as:
 

• Continuous data analysis can be done

• Automation capabilities that can save time and reduce costs

• Overall database efficiency and higher convenience

• Increased productivity as database objects can be used whenever needed

• Integration with the other enterprise software that businesses may be using

• Helps handle large volumes of data

• Eliminates data redundancies

The many benefits provided by DBMS helps businesses synchronize and leverage their data to achieve better outcomes and boost performance. However, what if we said that’s not all – stay tuned, DBMS has more benefits in store!
 

Where Do We Go from Here, Janet?

In the future, DBMS may be augmented with feedback tools that will show how different team members and stakeholders use data across different regions and demographics. This will help in personalizing the service offered by DBMS. Additionally, in the future, edge computing and the Internet of Things may become more useful than cloud-based storage for larger quantities of data. Hence, DBMS will aim to move towards open-sourced systems that can be integrated with these networks.

The most significant trend in the DBMS world is the cloud. You know, the kind of cloud your iPhone uses to stores those dozen high-quality selfies you took in the mirror when you were bored! Cloud-based DBMS will be offered in a “as-a-service" model that will improve its adoption, scalability and operational efficiency. Also consider that Amazon Web Services and Microsoft were responsible for 75% of the growth in the DBMS market, showing that the future of DBMS will be largely influenced by these two vendors. If business bigwigs such as Amazon and Microsoft are investing in this technology, we think it is worth looking in!
 

Closing: Take A Bow, Janet; It’s Closing Time

Yes, Eleanor, you’re right about that! Database Management Software is the good place for your data. It collects business data that helps companies access, manage and use important information to make decisions. Just like Janet used her infinite void of knowledge, a DBMS provides features that will help you keep track of all information, along with easy ways to view and access data whenever needed.