Database Management System (DBMS) using LibreOffice Base

Data and Information

Data:

 Definition: Data refers to raw facts and figures that alone have no meaning.
 Example: A list of numbers like 25, 30, 40, 50 or names like John, Emily, Mike, and Sarah are
data.
 Characteristics of Data:
o It can be in any form: numbers, text, images, etc.
o It does not provide context or meaning on its own.

Information:

 Definition: Information is processed or organized data that has meaning and is useful for
decision-making.
 Example: "John, 25 years old, works in the IT department," is information because it gives
context to the raw data.
 Characteristics of Information:
o It is data that has been processed and structured to provide meaning.
o It helps in making decisions.

Databases and DBMS

Database:

 Definition: A database is an organized collection of structured data that is stored and

accessed electronically. It allows data to be easily retrieved, managed, and updated. A
database is designed to handle large amounts of information.
 Example: A school database storing information like student names, roll numbers, grades,
and subjects.
 Types of Data in a Database:
o Text: Names, addresses, etc.
o Numbers: Age, marks, etc.
o Date/Time: Birthdates, admission dates, etc.

Database Management System (DBMS):

 Definition: A Database Management System (DBMS) is software that enables the creation,
management, and manipulation of databases. It provides an interface for users to interact
with the data stored in the database, allowing for tasks like storing, retrieving, updating, and
deleting data in an efficient and organized manner.
 Functions of a DBMS:
o Data Storage: Storing data in an organized way.
o Data Retrieval: Retrieving data as required.
o Data Manipulation: Modifying or updating data.
o Data Security: Ensuring the protection of data.
o Backup and Recovery: Ensuring data can be recovered if lost.
 Examples of DBMS: LibreOffice Base, MySQL, Oracle, MS Access.
Advantages of Database Management System (DBMS)

1. Data Security:

 Explanation: DBMS provides multiple levels of security to ensure unauthorized access is

prevented.
 Example: User permissions can be set in a database to allow different people different
levels of access (view, edit, delete).

2. Efficient Data Management:

 Explanation: With DBMS, the data is stored and managed in a structured format, making it
easier to retrieve, modify, and delete.
 Example: In a library management system, a DBMS helps manage the books' information
efficiently—book title, author, availability status, etc.

3. Reduces Data Redundancy:

 Explanation: DBMS reduces the unnecessary duplication of data. Data is stored in one
place and can be accessed from different locations.
 Example: In a student database, rather than storing the student's address with every course
record, the address can be stored once and linked to the student's ID.

4. Data Consistency:

 Explanation: DBMS helps ensure that data is accurate and consistent across all
applications.
 Example: A change in a student’s contact number in one part of the database will be
reflected across all related records, ensuring consistency.

5. Multi-User Access:

 Explanation: DBMS allows multiple users to access and work with the database
simultaneously without conflicts.
 Example: A bank's customer database allows employees to update account details, while
customers can check balances without interfering with each other.

6. Backup and Recovery:

 Explanation: DBMS has built-in mechanisms for backing up data and recovering it in case
of failure.
 Example: If a power failure occurs, DBMS ensures that the data is backed up and can be
recovered without loss.

Data Models

Data models define the structure of the database, how data is stored, and how relationships
between data are maintained.

1. Hierarchical Data Model:

 Explanation: Data is organized in a tree-like structure where each record has a parent-child
relationship.
 Example: A company database where the hierarchy is as follows: Company → Department
 → Employee.
o The Company is the root, each department is a branch, and each employee is a leaf.
 Limitations: The structure is rigid, and relationships are limited to parent-child only.

2. Network Data Model:

 Explanation: Similar to the hierarchical model but allows more complex relationships. Data
is represented in a graph structure where each record can have multiple parent and child
records.
 Example: A university database where students can enroll in multiple courses and each
course can have multiple students.
 Advantages: Allows more complex relationships than the hierarchical model.
 Limitations: More complex to implement and manage.

3. Relational Data Model:

 Explanation: Data is stored in tables (relations) with rows (records) and columns (fields).
 Example: A school database with:
o A table for Students with columns for Name, Roll Number, Address and Course Code.
o A table for Courses with columns for Course Code, Course Name and Fees.
 Advantages: Very flexible, easy to use and manage.

4. Object-Oriented Data Model:

 Explanation: Data is represented as objects, similar to objects in programming languages

like Java or C++. Objects contain both data and the operations that can be performed on
the data.
 Example: A database representing a library where each book is an object with properties
(title, author) and methods (borrow, return).
 Advantages: Supports complex data types and is useful for applications that require
modeling of real-world entities.

5. Entity-Relationship Model (ER Model):

 Explanation: Data is represented as entities and the relationships between them. It is a

conceptual framework used to design databases.
 Example: A Student entity might be related to a Course entity via a relationship like Enrolled_In.
 Advantages: Very useful for database design and visualizing relationships.
 ER Diagram Example: A diagram showing students, courses, and their relationships (many-
to-many) using rectangles for entities and diamonds for relationships.