Database


A database is an organized collection of structured information, or data, typically stored electronically in a computer system. A database is usually controlled by a database management system (DBMS).

 Any place where the data is stored it is called a data base. A data base is information that is set up for easy access, management and updating.
 Collection of all related files of an organization is known as data base.
 Data base were first created in the 1960.
 The main purpose of the database is to operate a large amount of information by storing, retrieving and managing data.
 Using the database you can easily retrieve insert and delete the information.
 These early database were network models where each record is related to many primary and secondary records.
 Collection of all related files of an organization is known as data base


Database User


There are following database user.


1. Database Administrator (DBA) :


Database Administrator (DBA) is a person/team who defines the schema and also controls the 3 levels of database. The DBA will then create a new account id and password for the user if he/she need to access the database. DBA is also responsible for providing security to the database and he allows only the authorized users to access/modify the data base. DBA is responsible for the problems such as security breaches and poor system response time.


DBA also monitors the recovery and backup and provide technical support.


DBA has a DBA account in the DBMS which called a system or superuser account.


DBA repairs damage caused due to hardware and/or software failures.


DBA is the one having privileges to perform DCL (Data Control Language) operations such as GRANT and REVOKE, to allow/restrict a particular user from accessing the database.



2. Naive / Parametric End Users :


Parametric End Users are the unsophisticated who don’t have any DBMS knowledge but they frequently use the database applications in their daily life to get the desired results. For examples, Railway’s ticket booking users are naive users. Clerks in any bank is a naive user because they don’t have any DBMS knowledge but they still use the database and perform their given task.


3. System Analyst :


System Analyst is a user who analyzes the requirements of parametric end users. They check whether all the requirements of end users are satisfied.


4. Sophisticated Users :


users can be engineers, scientists, business analyst, who are familiar with the database. They can develop their own database applications according to their requirement. They don’t write the program code but they interact the database by writing SQL queries directly through the query processor.


5. Database Designers :


Data Base Designers are the users who design the structure of database which includes tables, indexes, views, triggers, stored procedures and constraints which are usually enforced before the database is created or populated with data. He/she controls what data must be stored and how the data items to be related. It is responsibility of Database Designers to understand the requirements of different user groups and then create a design which satisfies the need of all the user groups.



6. Application Programmers :


Application Programmers also referred as System Analysts or simply Software Engineers, are the back-end programmers who writes the code for the application programs. They are the computer professionals. These programs could be written in Programming languages such as Visual Basic, Developer, C, FORTRAN, COBOL etc. Application programmers design, debug, test, and maintain set of programs called “canned transactions” for the Naive (parametric) users in order to interact with database.



7. Casual Users / Temporary Users :


Casual Users are the users who occasionally use/access the database but each time when they access the database they require the new information, for example, Middle or higher level manager.


8. Specialized users :


Specialized users are sophisticated users who write specialized database application that does not fit into the traditional data- processing framework. Among these applications are computer aided-design systems, knowledge-base and expert systems etc.