What Is A DBMS? Will It Help My Business?
According to Wikipedia–A database is an organized collection of data. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality in a way that supports processes requiring this information.
Database management systems (DBMSs) are specially designed software applications that interact with the user, other applications, and the database itself to capture and analyze data. A general-purpose DBMS is a software system designed to allow the definition, creation, querying, update, and administration of databases. A DBMS is responsible for maintaining the integrity and security of stored data, and for recovering information if the system fails.
Why is a database and DBMS important?
Customers have been spoiled. Thanks to companies such as Amazon and Apple, they now expect every organization to deliver products and services swiftly with seamless user experience. They expect service providers to have automated access to all the data they provided earlier and not ask the same questions over and over again.
Customers wouldn’t phrase it this way, but they are demanding from companies in many industries a radical overhaul of business processes. Intuitive interfaces, around-the-clock availability, real-time fulfillment, personalized treatment, global consistency, and zero errors—this is the world to which customers have become increasingly accustomed. It is more than a superior user experience, however; when companies get it right, they can also offer more competitive prices because of lower costs, better operational controls, and less risk. (Shahar Markovitch and Paul Willmott, McKinsey, May 2014)
The Heart Of Your Business
Effective digitization of business process must start with the foundation of a high quality current information. The heart of your business, the database and DBMS will organize, store, capture and analyze data for various users and applications to support the processes.
When developing a database, think about all the uses of the data both internal and external: website, catalog, eCommerce store, merchant markets, distributor/dealer portals, mobile, advertising and on and on. Ideally you want a singular database that can help to serve all these needs to efficiently maintain the integrity of your information. We all know how challenging it can be to update one central depository of information; multiple locations can lead to chaos– data that is possibly invalid, inconsistent and unrecoverable.
When selecting your DBMS, it is of critical importance to think about how it integrates with other technologies, the cost of getting started, tools, the user interface and the availability of help and support. For example, if you are learning SQL for web development technology like PHP or ASP.NET, it will be easier to select a DBMS that is either created by or made to work with your web technology choice. ASP.NET developers will usually select Microsoft SQL Server or Microsoft Access or PHP developers will usually choose MySQL or Oracle. (htmlgoodies.com/Top 5 Databases For Web Developers)
Some technical requirements for consideration will be data recovery, availability, data security, scalability, process automation, integration of e-business applications and encryption support to prevent identity theft.
In Summary
Lots to think about and consider…high quality, valid, current and secure data are vital to supporting efficient and effective digitized business process. Your database and DBMS are foundational and the heart of your business! If you should need any assistance, our team can help you customize a database solution.
