A database is:
- A collection of sets of related data.
- A software program to keep this data organized.
Databases make it possible to store, organize and retrieve information. You can manipulate the data collected, by adding, deleting and changing records. Databases can range from huge mainframe ones that manage data for large corporations to much smaller ones like your daily calendar.
Why do we need databases?
- Store large amounts of data – Databases make it easy to store large quantities of information. The larger your data set, the more benefit in organizing it in a database.
- Organized – Databases make it easy to organize and reorganize information. You can quickly switch between schemes.
- Speed, Precision, Reliability, Automation – Databases make it easy to retrieve information quickly and flexibly, with a high degree of precision and in a reliable manner.
- Reporting – Databases make it easy to analyze your information and report in many useful ways.
How are databases used in Industry?
- Your school has multiple databases for student and teacher contact information, cross-linked with class registration and grade information.
- Your local library has a database of books.
- Your doctor has multiple databases to keep your contact and health information separate, and can access your confidential health information from your other doctors for reference.
- Amazon has thousands of interlinked databases to manage millions of products.
- The messages you see on yours’ and your friends’ Facebook pages are again thousands of databases.
- Other examples are university databases, banking databases, population databases, etc.
What are the most popular database management systems?
Desktop database programs – Microsoft Access and Excel. Run on a single machine, simple and inexpensive, but also limited storage, and functionality.
Large, enterprise database management systems – Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, PostgreSQL and to an extent, MySQL, are all database management systems.
As a high school senior and co-founder of STEAMism and TimeforAI.com, Ani enjoys challenges and problem solving, technical subjects including Artificial Intelligence and Engineering Design, and collaborating with like-minded peers on events and hackathons. He has interned with the City of Austin, was a NASA High School Aerospace Scholar in 2019-2020 and is a Math tutor at Mathnasium. He has been blogging since 2nd grade and dabbles in web design and coding. He enjoys STEM subjects and teaching, so STEAMism is a great way for him to combine both.
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