Week 2

• Database components

By
Shafillullah
Lecturer ICS/IT
 The database operational environment is an integrated system of
Hardware,
Software, and
People,
These components are designed to facilitate the
Storage,
Retrieval, and
Control of the information resource and to improve the productivity of the
organization.
Component of Database Environment
 Database Administration (DBA)

• DBA is a resource that supervises both the

database and the use of the DBMS.
• DBA is usually a group, but sometimes it
refers to the database administrator.
 Figure 8.1
Responsibilities of DBA
 Policy Formulation and
Implementation

• Access Privileges
– Users should access the database only in ways
in which they are entitled.
• Security
– Access restrictions ensure that the database is
secure.
– Passwords, encryption, and views implement
security.
– Effective password protection is critical.
 Planning for Disaster
• Databases can be harmed from hardware
and software malfunctions, and outsides
forces like floods and power outages.
• DBA’s must take active role in formulating
disaster recovery plans.
 Archives
• An archive is a place where corporate data is kept.
• Information in an archive is removed from the
database and stored in the archive for future
reference.
• Archives are usually kept in a mass-storage device
like a disk, tape, CD, or a DVD.
• It is important such archives be kept off-site to
allow recovery should disaster strike
 Data Dictionary Management

• Essentially the catalog, but it contains a

wider range of information, including
information on tables, fields, indexes, and
programs.
• The DBA manages and updates the data
dictionary, which establishes naming
conventions for tables, fields, etc., and data
integrity rules.
 System Developers
• System developers are concerned with the designing of the new application
programs.
System developers carefully test the software before delivering it to users. They
continue to monitor software performance and modify or update programs as user
needs and technology evolve.
For example, software is frequently changed to protect operating systems and
applications from malware and hackers. Some programs, such as financial
spreadsheets, must be periodically updated to reflect changes in tax codes, regulator
requirements and technological changes.

 End Users
• End Naive users are the people who use the applications and databases.
 CASE (Computer Aided Software Engineering) Tools

• CASE tools are automated tools used to design databases

• and application programs.

 Repository
• Repository is the centralized storehouse of metadata.
• Metadata is the data that describes the properties or characteristics of end-user
• data and the context of that data.

 DBMS
• DBMS is a software system used to create, maintain, and provide controlled
• access to user databases.

 Database
• Database is an organized collection of logically related data.
 Application Programs

• Application programs are used to create and maintain the database.

• Computer-based application programs are used to create and maintain

the database and provide information to users.

 User Interface

• The user interface represents the languages, menus and Graphical User
Interface by which user interacts with the components of the system.
Purpose of DBMS 
The database management system performs following functions:
Integrity
Concurrency
Security
Backup/Recovery
Data Dictionary

Integrity
DBMS serves as a component that preserves the relationship
among different related records in the database.
It helps to reduce data redundancy and increase consistency.

Concurrency
Concurrency means preventing two users from interfering
with each other
when they use the same information.
Security
DBMS has components that limit access or actions to reduce
potential damage to data. Security rules determine the access
rights of the users.

Backup/Recovery
The DBMS provides backup and recovery processes to confirm
and repeat transactions so that database can be restored to a valid
state after a problem.