MODULE in NCS 202, ACT 201, ICT 210 File Processing and Database Management System By: Mr.

Arnel A. Cueto

I. Title: Powerful Basic Concepts of Database System II. Target population: Second Year BSCS/ICT and First Year ACT Students

III.Overview: This module is important as an introductory lesson on File Processing and Database Management System. This will give you brief and precise basic concepts about File Processing and Database Management System. Data, information and database are terms that are related to one another. From the basic to the complex points in which these were integrated to produce and address a more complex information management issues. Databases have been in use since the earliest days of electronic computing. Unlike modern systems which can be applied to widely different databases and needs, the vast majority of older systems were tightly linked to the custom databases in order to gain speed at the expense of flexibility. Originally Database Management Systems were found only in large organizations with the computer hardware needed to support large data sets IV. Objectives: At the end of this module, the students should be able to:
1. Distinguish the between among data and information.

2. Discuss the features of DBMS 3. Identify the Components of DBMS 4. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of using DBMS. V. Instructions to the Learners:
1. Research on the meaning of data and information using the book about database

management system (authors can be: Kendals, Silverschatz, Shelly, with the copyright not later than 2007) and using the internet. Put your answer on bond paper not less than 1 page but not more 3 pages. Bring it to class and be ready for sharing. 2. Prepare for the test at the end of the lesson.

VI. Entry Behavior and Pre requisite Skills: Before starting this module, you should have Research on the meaning of data, information, and database.

VII.

Pretest:

VIII. Learning Activities Lesson 1

Data versus Information

The frequency of the use of the words data and information are very high in our daily lives. Depending on the context the meanings and use of these words differ. Both data and information are types of knowledge or something used to attain knowledge. Though used interchangeably, there are many differences between the meanings of these two words. Data refers to the lowest abstract or a raw input which when processed or arranged makes meaningful output. It is the group or chunks which represent quantitative and qualitative attributes pertaining to variables. Information is usually the processed outcome of data. More specifically speaking, it is derived from data. Information is a concept and can be used in many domains. Information can be a mental stimulus, perception, representation, knowledge, or even an instruction. The examples of data can be facts, analysis, or statistics. In computer terms, symbols, characters, images, or numbers are data. These are the inputs for the system to give a meaningful interpretation. In other words, data in a meaningful form is information. Information can be explained as any kind of understanding or knowledge that can be exchanged with people. It can be about facts, things, concepts, or anything relevant to the topic concerned. The word information was derived from Latin. The verb from which it is derived is informare, which means to instruct. It also means giving form to an idea or fact. Data is the plural of the Latin word datum. It can mean to give. In the realms of mathematics and geometry, the terms data and given are very often used interchangeably. This is how the term was derived for use in computer realm. If data is at the lowest level in the series, information is placed at the next step. As an example, if you have a list on the Seven Wonders of the World, that is a data; if you have a book giving details about each wonder, it is information. Data can be in the form of numbers, characters, symbols, or even pictures. A collection of these data which conveys some meaningful idea is information. It may provide answers to questions like who, which, when, why, what, and how. The raw input is data and it has no significance when it exists in that form. When data is collated or organized into something meaningful, it gains significance. This meaningful organization is information. Data is often obtained as a result of recordings or observations. For example, the temperature of the days is data. When this data is to be collected, a system or person monitors the daily temperatures and records it. Finally when it is to be converted into meaningful information, the patterns in the temperatures are

analyzed and a conclusion about the temperature is arrived at. So information obtained is a result of analysis, communication, or investigation. Summary: 1. Data is the lowest level of knowledge and information is the second level. 2. Data by itself alone is not significant. Information is significant by itself. 3. Observations and recordings are done to obtain data, while analysis is done to obtain information. Database Definition A Database Management System (DBMS) is a set of computer programs that controls the creation, maintenance, and the use of a database. It allows organizations to place control of database development in the hands of database administrators (DBAs) and other specialists. A DBMS is a system software package that helps the use of integrated collection of data records and files known as databases. It allows different user application programs to easily access the same database. DBMSs may use any of a variety of database models, such as the network model or relational model. In large systems, a DBMS allows users and other software to store and retrieve data in a structured way. Instead of having to write computer programs to extract information, user can ask simple questions in a query language. Thus, many DBMS packages provide Fourth-generation programming language (4GLs) and other application development features. It helps to specify the logical organization for a database and access and use the information within a database. It provides facilities for controlling data access, enforcing data integrity, managing concurrency, and restoring the database from backups. A DBMS also provides the ability to logically present database information to users. A database management system (DBMS) consists of software that organizes the storage of data. A DBMS controls the creation, maintenance, and use of the database storage structures of social organizations and of their users. It allows organizations to place control of organization wide database development in the hands of Database Administrators (DBAs) and other specialists. In large systems, a DBMS allows users and other software to store and retrieve data in a structured way. Database management systems are usually categorized according to the database model that they support, such as the network, relational or object model. The model tends to determine the query languages that are available to access the database. One commonly used query language for the relational database is SQL, although SQL syntax and function can vary from one DBMS to another. A common query language for the object database is OQL, although not all vendors of object databases implement this, majority of them do implement this method. A great deal of the internal engineering of a DBMS is independent of the data model, and is concerned with managing factors such as performance, concurrency, integrity, and recovery from hardware failures. In these areas there are large differences between the products. A relational database management system (RDBMS) implements features of the relational model. In this context, Date's "Information Principle" states: "the entire information content of the database is represented in one and only one way. Namely as explicit values in column positions (attributes) and rows in relations (tuples). Therefore, there are no explicit pointers between related tables." This contrasts with the object database management system (ODBMS), which does store explicit pointers between related types. Caution should be used when using the following information in a historical context. For example, Pick is a legacy (multivalued) RDBMS, which does not use the SQL model and therefore does not use the components assumed by modern SQL architecture. Database management system is the system in which related data is stored in an "efficient" and "compact" manner. Efficient means that the data which is stored in the DBMS is accessed in very quick

time and compact means that the data which is stored in DBMS covers very less space in computer's memory. In above definition the phrase "related data" is used which means that the data which is stored in DBMS is about some particular topic. Throughout recent history specialized databases have existed for scientific, geospatial, imaging, and document storage and like uses. Functionality drawn from such applications has lately begun appearing in mainstream DBMSs as well. However, the main focus there, at least when aimed at the commercial data processing market, is still on descriptive attributes on repetitive record structures. Thus, the DBMSs of today roll together frequently needed services or features of attribute management. By externalizing such functionality to the DBMS, applications effectively share code with each other and are relieved of much internal complexity. Features commonly offered by database management systems include: Query ability Querying is the process of requesting attribute information from various perspectives and combinations of factors. Example: "How many 2-door cars in Texas are green?" A database query language and report writer allow users to interactively interrogate the database, analyze its data and update it according to the users privileges on data. Backup and replication Copies of attributes need to be made regularly in case primary disks or other equipment fails. A periodic copy of attributes may also be created for a distant organization that cannot readily access the original. DBMS usually provide utilities to facilitate the process of extracting and disseminating attribute sets. When data is replicated between database servers, so that the information remains consistent throughout the database system and users cannot tell or even know which server in the DBMS they are using, the system is said to exhibit replication transparency. Rule enforcement Often one wants to apply rules to attributes so that the attributes are clean and reliable. For example, we may have a rule that says each car can have only one engine associated with it (identified by Engine Number). If somebody tries to associate a second engine with a given car, we want the DBMS to deny such a request and display an error message. However, with changes in the model specification such as, in this example, hybrid gas-electric cars, rules may need to change. Ideally such rules should be able to be added and removed as needed without significant data layout redesign. Security Often it is desirable to limit who can see or change which attributes or groups of attributes. This may be managed directly by individual, or by the assignment of individuals and privileges to groups, or (in the most elaborate models) through the assignment of individuals and groups to roles which are then granted entitlements. Computation There are common computations requested on attributes such as counting, summing, averaging, sorting, grouping, cross-referencing, etc. Rather than have each computer application implement these from scratch, they can rely on the DBMS to supply such calculations. Change and access logging

Often one wants to know who accessed what attributes, what was changed, and when it was changed. Logging services allow this by keeping a record of access occurrences and changes. Automated optimization If there are frequently occurring usage patterns or requests, some DBMS can adjust themselves to improve the speed of those interactions. In some cases the DBMS will merely provide tools to monitor performance, allowing a human expert to make the necessary adjustments after reviewing the statistics collected.

DBMS building blocks

A DBMS includes four main parts: modeling language, data structure, database query language, and transaction mechanisms:

Components of DBMS

DBMS Engine accepts logical request from the various other DBMS subsystems, converts them into physical equivalents, and actually accesses the database and data dictionary as they exist on a storage device. Data Definition Subsystem helps user to create and maintain the data dictionary and define the structure of the files in a database. Data Manipulation Subsystem helps user to add, change, and delete information in a database and query it for valuable information. Software tools within the data manipulation subsystem are most often the primary interface between user and the information contained in a database. It allows user to specify its logical information requirements. Application Generation Subsystem contains facilities to help users to develop transactionintensive applications. It usually requires that user perform a detailed series of tasks to process a transaction. It facilitates easy-to-use data entry screens, programming languages, and interfaces. Data Administration Subsystem helps users to manage the overall database environment by providing facilities for backup and recovery, security management, query optimization, concurrency control, and change management.

DBMS Advantages and Disadvantages

The advantages of DBMS are as follows:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

shared data; centralized control; disadvantages of redundancy control; improved data integrity; improved data security, and database systems flexible conceptual design. controlling redundancy providing storage structure for efficient query processing. restricting unauthorized users. providing concurrency.

11. providing backup and recovery; 12. enforcing integrity constraints.

and

The disadvantages of DBMS are as follows:

A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H.

a complex conceptual design process; the need for multiple external databases; the need to hire database-related employees; high DBMS acquisition costs; a more complex programmer environment; potentially catastrophic program failures; a longer running time for individual applications; and, highly dependent DBMS operations.