DATABASE & INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES
DATABASE
One of the technology terms that most people have become accustomed to hearing either at work or while surfing the Internet is the database. The database used to be an extremely technical term, however with the rise of computer systems and information technology throughout our culture, the database has become a household term.
A database is a structured collection of records or data that is stored in a computer system. In order for a database to be truly functional, it must not only store large amounts of records well, but be accessed easily. In addition, new information and changes should also be fairly easy to input. In order to have a highly efficient database system, a program that manages the queries and information stored on the system must be incorporated. This is usually referred to as DBMS or a Database Management System. Besides these features, all databases that are created should be built with high data integrity and the ability to recover data if hardware fails.
Types of Databases
There are several common types of databases. Each type of database has its own data model (how the data is structured). They include Flat Model, Hierarchical Model, Relational Model, and Network Model.
The Flat Model Database
A flat database is a simple database system in which each database is represented as a single table in which all of the records are stored as single rows of data, which are separated by de limiters such as tabs or commas. The table is usually stored and physically represented as a simple text file.
Because of the limitations of flat databases, they are not unsuitable for most software applications in which there are a need to represent and store complex business relationships. However, some application developers still use flat files in order to reduce the cost and complexity of integrating a relational database.
Unlike relational databases, flat databases cannot represent complex relationships between entities. They also have no
One of the technology terms that most people have become accustomed to hearing either at work or while surfing the Internet is the database. The database used to be an extremely technical term, however with the rise of computer systems and information technology throughout our culture, the database has become a household term.
A database is a structured collection of records or data that is stored in a computer system. In order for a database to be truly functional, it must not only store large amounts of records well, but be accessed easily. In addition, new information and changes should also be fairly easy to input. In order to have a highly efficient database system, a program that manages the queries and information stored on the system must be incorporated. This is usually referred to as DBMS or a Database Management System. Besides these features, all databases that are created should be built with high data integrity and the ability to recover data if hardware fails.
Types of Databases
There are several common types of databases. Each type of database has its own data model (how the data is structured). They include Flat Model, Hierarchical Model, Relational Model, and Network Model.
The Flat Model Database
A flat database is a simple database system in which each database is represented as a single table in which all of the records are stored as single rows of data, which are separated by de limiters such as tabs or commas. The table is usually stored and physically represented as a simple text file.
Because of the limitations of flat databases, they are not unsuitable for most software applications in which there are a need to represent and store complex business relationships. However, some application developers still use flat files in order to reduce the cost and complexity of integrating a relational database.
Unlike relational databases, flat databases cannot represent complex relationships between entities. They also have no