Distributed database

A distributed database can be defined as consisting of a collection of data with different parts under the control of separate DBMS running on independent computer systems. All the computers are interconnected and each system has autonomous processing capability serving local applications. Each system participates, as well, in the execution of one or more global applications. Such applications require data from more than one site. The distributed nature of the database is hidden from users and this transparency manifests itself in a number of ways. Although there are a number of advantages to using a distributed DBMS, there are also a number of problems and implementation issues. Finally, data in a distributed DBMS can be partitioned or replicated or both. A distributed DBMS should provide a number of features which make the distributed nature of the DBMS transparent to the user. These include the following:

Location transparency Replication transparency Performance transparency Transaction transparency Catalog transparency

The distributed database should look like a centralized system to the users. Problems of the distributed database are at the internal level.