Database Management Systems Essay Example

Database Management Systems Essay Example Database Management Systems Essay Database Management Systems Essay Individual Assignment: Database Management Systems Paper Write a 1-2 page paper in which you do the following: * Explain what database systems are and how they are used at your workplace. * Define database architecture. For the database systems in your workplace, identify which architecture they fall under. * Define relational database architecture. Consider Microsoft ® Access ®, Microsoft SQL Server ®, Oracle ®, IBM DB2 ®, and so on. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines, and use at least three unique references beyond University of Phoenix course materials. The rubric I will use to grade your paper is posted in Course Materials. A reminder that grammar, punctuation and spelling errors do not present a professional presence and will impact your grades. Database Management Systems Database management systems are built to store large amounts of data in a computer system. Not only does a database need to store the data, it needs to make the data readily available. â€Å"The definition of a database is a structured collection of records or data that is stored in a computer system. † (QUOTE tech-faq. com/what-is-a-database. html). There are several types of databases which are Relational, Hierarchical, Flat, and Network. All types have their own sets of advantages and disadvantages and will be discussed further later in this paper. Databases are used in many different places and situations. They are used in many differ ways to meet the specific needs of businesses. Not being to familiar with how the company I work for has it’s databases set up, I can give only a short description of their uses. I do know my company provides large amounts of storage space to it’s employees for housing huge amounts of data. I also know my company uses SharePoint to organize and streamline much of their information and processes. SharePoint coupled with SQL servers would provide the company with access to the program and housing the data it stores. User databases are probably used to house information specific to our company such as payroll, sales, and employee information. The database architecture is how the database system is structured. This can be on a physical level and also a data level. Physical database architecture would be the applications, servers, and networks that connect the system. On a data level, the data architecture is how the data itself is stored and structured. Mentioned earlier in this paper was a few different types of databases. A hierarchical database architecture resembles a tree like structure. This is similar to how Microsoft organizes it’s folders and files. One top or root folder can house files and other folders that can house more files and folders. This structure continues to branch out in some kind of organization specific to the data. The hierarchical architecture is somewhat prominent in parts of my company’s database structure since we use large amounts of storage space. We separate our storage into folders/directories that contain files and more folders. These folder branch down further and further into more specific categories such as a date or numerical value of some kind. From the sounds of it, we will be switching things up shortly to more of a Relational architecture. The Relational database is organized into tables and can be quickly and easily accessed and stored. We have been going through many of our files to format them in a way that will be more easily accessed by a Relational database and it has been a tedious process. The relational database sounds more like the SharePoint and SQL server set up mentioned previously in this paper. SharePoint seems to be organized using tables of information and works with Access and Excel almost seamlessly. There are issues with the programs working together, but that doesn’t dilute the fact that they are all meant to work together. Access is a relational database because it organizes it’s data into tables with columns and rows. Excel does the same thing. My guess is that the innards of SharePoint is nothing more than tables, rows, and columns making it a relational database. The relational database is a very powerful and more commonly used database method and is the type I believe my company uses more widely.