Database

Management
 Definition of a Database

It is a repository of information and

collection of tables that are related to
each other.
 Purpose of a computerized database

It allows you to create and manage your

database much more efficiently and
effectively than a manual database.
 Database Management Systems
A database management system (DBMS) is a software package designed to define, manipulate,
retrieve and manage data in a database. A DBMS generally manipulates the data itself, the data
format, field names, record structure and file structure. It also defines rules to validate and
manipulate this data.
Examples
• MySQL
• Microsoft Access (We will be using this software)
• Oracle
• PostgreSQL
• dBASE
• FoxPro
• SQLite
• IBM DB2
Terms associated with DBMS
 Database file

This is the entire database.

 Table

This is a collection of records made up of a set of

rows and columns.
 Record

This is a collection of related fields. It contains a single row

and many columns. Also known as tuples.
 Field

This is a single column in a table that stores data.

Also known as an attribute.
 Entity

This is an item in the real world that is represented

in a database.
 Primary key

This is a field that acts as a unique identifier for each

record in a table.
 Candidate key

This is a field that could possibly act as the primary

key for the table.
 Secondary or alternate key

This is a candidate key that has not been selected as

a primary key.
 Composite key

This is a primary key that combines two or

more fields together.
 Foreign key

This is a field in a table that has been linked

with the primary key field of another table.
 Exercise
Create a table structure with at least three data types and populate with at
least 25 records.

• Modify a table structure: adding new fields, deleting fields, changing field definitions.

• Establish primary keys.

• Establish relationships: show the joins between tables (one-to-one and one-to-many).