Where are Databases used??
Although databases were originally designed to operate on
large-scale computers, they are now used everywhere. There are a number of terms
applied to indicate which areas of business are using them.
| Enterprise Databases.
As you might imagine, Corporations rely on Databases as the backbone of their
operations. More often than not, these databases are stored on minicomputers,
mainframes or even super computers, although certainly they could be made
available on network or intranet servers. There are some concerns with these
databases, however:
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How should the data be distributed? We will talk
more about this in the distributed database section. |
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What Security Measures are in place?
Security is a major issue when data is available corporate-wide. |
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How will standards be enforced?
Because databases are used everywhere, a skilled
Database Base Administrator (DBA) is needed.
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| Departmental Databases.
Especially in larger organizations, individual functional areas (e.g.,
Marketing, Production, Finance, and so forth). Depending on the size of the
department, these databases may run off of a Minicomputer or Local Area
Network (LANS). Some of the key issues with departmental databases include:
| Given the large number of users, how should the
database be designed?
Again, this has to do with issues of
database distribution, which we will talk about later. |
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What Security Measures are in place?
As with enterprise databases, security is still a major issue. |
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What database development tools are in place?
Databases typically come with various
development packages, but larger databases need special tools. |
| Who will be responsible for the database
management? It the department is sufficiently large, a DBA might be
required for the database. If not, someone will have to take responsibility
for the database operation and maintenance.
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| Workgroup Databases. These are typically smaller
groups of individuals working together on a common project. These databases
generally run off of a Local Area Network (LANS) where individuals have their
own Workstations or PCs. Some of the key issues with departmental databases
include:
| How can the database be optimized to meet the
variety of different user needs?
Everyone has different priorities and will use the database for different
purposes. |
| How can the different members of the group use the
database simultaneously without compromising the integrity of the database?
We will discuss database integrity later, but
basically we are asking how so many people could be involved in the
creation, editing, and deletion of data without interfering with the others?
Maybe they can't. |
| What database operations should be performed
locally (at the user's computer) or remotely (at some other location)?
Once again, we will discuss these issues at a later date, but essentially,
the best procedure is to allow the user to maintain the data which s/he uses
most. Trying to determine which users need which data is not all that easy,
however.
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| Personal/User Databases. These are databases
that are developed, used and maintained primarily by individual users. These databases generally run off of a Local Area Network (LANS)
where individuals have their own Workstations or PCs. Some of the key issues
with personal databases include:
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Should the Application be purchased or developed
in-house? Although applications which are made in-house might be more
effective, generally speaking, the individual user does not have the skills
to develop a 'good' database |
| If it is developed in-house, should it be
developed by the IT department or the user? As noted above, the
individual user might not have the skills necessary to develop and
appropriate application. On the other hand, the IT department doesn't have
the knowledge about what is required to perform the job (nor, perhaps, the
time necessary to build the system). |
| What data is required and how should it be
designed? Individuals who develop databases on a regular basis,
generally become quite good at determining what data is necessary. However,
users are not generally experts at determining what data is necessary for a
particular application. |
| Who will be responsible for the database
management? Unlike large departments, which may have the resources
available to hire a DBA, users are generally left responsible for their own
databases. This can be quite a challenge for someone who is unfamiliar with
what is needed. ???
What types of databases are there ???
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That is the
next topic
This page was last updated on
02/26/04.
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