Database Management System (DBMS) is a software that allows access to data stored in a database and provides an easy and effective method of:
- Defining the information.
- Storing the information.
- Manipulating the information.
- Protecting the information from system crashes or data theft.
- Differentiating access permissions for different users.
Applications: It can be considered as a user-friendly web page where the user enters the requests. Here he simply enters the details that he needs and presses buttons to get the data.
End User: They are the real users of the database. They can be developers, designers, administrators, or the actual users of the database.
DDL: Data Definition Language (DDL) is a query fired to create database, schema, tables, mappings, etc in the database. These are the commands used to create objects like tables, indexes in the database for the first time. In other words, they create the structure of the database.
DDL Compiler: This part of the database is responsible for processing the DDL commands. That means this compiler actually breaks down the command into machine-understandable codes. It is also responsible for storing the metadata information like table name, space used by it, number of columns in it, mapping information, etc.
DML Compiler: When the user inserts, deletes, updates or retrieves the record from the database, he will be sending requests which he understands by pressing some buttons. But for the database to work/understand the request, it should be broken down to object code. This is done by this compiler. One can imagine this as when a person is asked some question, how this is broken down into waves to reach the brain!
Query Optimizer: When a user fires some requests, he is least bothered how it will be fired on the database. He is not all aware of the database or its way of performance. But whatever be the request, it should be efficient enough to fetch, insert, update, or delete the data from the database. The query optimizer decides the best way to execute the user request which is received from the DML compiler. It is similar to selecting the best nerve to carry the waves to the brain!
Stored Data Manager: This is also known as Database Control System. It is one of the main central systems of the database. It is responsible for various tasks
- It converts the requests received from query optimizer to machine-understandable form. It makes actual requests inside the database. It is like fetching the exact part of the brain to answer.
- It helps to maintain consistency and integrity by applying the constraints. That means it does not allow inserting/updating / deleting any data if it has child entry. Similarly, it does not allow entering any duplicate value into database tables.
- It controls concurrent access. If there are multiple users accessing the database at the same time, it makes sure, all of them see correct data. It guarantees that there is no data loss or data mismatch happens between the transactions of multiple users.
- It helps to back up the database and recovers data whenever required. Since it is a huge database and when there is any unexpected exploit of the transaction, and reverting the changes is not easy. It maintains the backup of all data so that it can be recovered.
Data Files: It has the real data stored in it. It can be stored as magnetic tapes, magnetic disks, or optical disks.
Compiled DML: Some of the processed DML statements (insert, update, delete) are stored in it so that if there are similar requests, it will be re-used.
Data Dictionary: It contains all the information about the database. As the name suggests, it is the dictionary of all the data items. It contains a description of all the tables, view, materialized views, constraints, indexes, triggers, etc.
End Users:
End Users are the people who interact with the database through applications or utilities. The various categories of end users are:
- Casual End Users: These Users occasionally access the database but may need different information each time. They use sophisticated database Query language to specify their requests. For example: High level Managers who access the data weekly or biweekly.
- Native End Users: These users frequently query and update the database using standard types of Queries. The operations that can be performed by this class of users are very limited and effect precise portion of the database. For example: Reservation clerks for airlines/hotels check availability for given request and make reservations. Also, persons using Automated Teller Machines (ATM’s) fall under this category as he has access to limited portion of the database.
- Standalone end Users/On-line End Users: Those end Users who interact with the database directly via on-line terminal or indirectly through Menu or graphics based Interfaces. Example:-Library Management System.