Learning Objectives
- Define a database and a DBMS.
- State problems of traditional file-based systems.
- Preview models and business intelligence.
Next: data concepts, database vs file system, models, DBMS, BI.
Database
A database is an organized collection of related data stored so that many users and programs can retrieve it consistently. Examples: a student information system, an inventory file, a bank’s account records.
File systems versus the database approach
Spreadsheets and folders work for one person. They produce redundancy (the same customer stored twice), inconsistency (two different phone numbers), weak security, and no standard query language. A DBMS (Access, MySQL, Oracle) sits between users and the data: it defines structure, enforces keys, controls access, and supports backup.
Why managers care
Better data quality supports decisions, customer service, and compliance. Business intelligence later in this unit is the practice of analyzing that stored data for trends—not replacing operational databases, but using them.
Nepal / lab example
A college that keeps marks only in each teacher’s Excel file cannot produce a reliable transcript. One database with StudentID as a key (see Lab 6) is the database approach.
Key Takeaways
- A database is related data; a DBMS is the software that manages it.
- File systems do not scale well for shared, accurate records.
- BI depends on having trustworthy operational data.
Discussion Questions
- Give one redundancy example from a paper-based office.
- Who should be allowed to delete a student record, and why?
- Is Excel ever acceptable as a “database”? When does it stop being enough?
