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Introduction to Datab ase Systems G52DBS – Database Systems
www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~smx/DBS
Why Study Databases?
• Databases are useful
• Many computing
applications deal with
large amounts of
information
• Database systems
give a set of tools for
storing, searching and
managing this
information
• Databases in CS
• Databases are a ‘core
topic’ in computer
science
• Basic concepts and
skills with database
systems are part of
the skill set you will
be assumed to have
as a CS graduate
Introduction to Datab ase Systems G52DBS – Database Systems
www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~smx/DBS
What is a Database?
• “A set of information held in a
computer”
• Oxford English Dictionary
• “One or more large stru ctured sets of
persistent data, usually associated with
software to update and query the data”
• Free On-Line Dictionary of Co mputing
• “A collection of data a rranged for ease
and speed of search and retrieval”
•Dictionary.com
Introduction to Datab ase Systems G52DBS – Database Systems
www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~smx/DBS
Databases
•Web indexes
• Library catalogues
• Medical records
• Bank accounts
• Stock control
• Personnel systems
• Product catalogues
• Telephone
directories
•Train timetables
• Airline b ookings
• Credit card details
• Student records
• Customer histories
• Stock market prices
• Discussion boards
• and so on…
Introduction to Datab ase Systems G52DBS – Database Systems
www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~smx/DBS
Database Systems
• A database system
consists of
• Data (the database)
•Software
•Hardware
•Users
• We focus mainly on
the software
• Database systems
allow users to
•Store
• Update
• Retrieve
•Organise
•Protect
their data.
Introduction to Datab ase Systems G52DBS – Database Systems
www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~smx/DBS
Database Users
• End users
• Use the database
system to achieve
some goal
• Applicat ion
developers
• Write software to
allow end users to
interface with the
database system
• Database
Administrator (DBA)
• Designs & manages
the database system
• Database systems
programmer
• Writes the database
software itself
Introduction to Datab ase Systems G52DBS – Database Systems
www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~smx/DBS
Database Management
Systems
• A database is a
collection of
informat ion
• A database
management system
(DBMS) is the
software than
controls that
informat ion
•Examples:
•Oracle
• DB2 (IBM)
• MS SQL Server
• MS Access
•Ingres
•PostgreSQL
•MySQL
