THE DATABASE APPROACH - Database Design and Development: An Essential Guide for IT Professionals - page 3

that the database must have printed some incorrect numbers. What the repre-
sentative really implies is that the billing application has miscalculated the
charges.
In our modern society most people know the term database without under-
standing its full and clear meaning. Even in information technology circles, not
everyone knows the concepts in reasonable detail. What is a database ? Is it data?
Is it software? Is it the place where you store data? Is there something special about
the way you store data? Is it how you store and retrieve data? What exactly is a
database system? What are the features and functions? Many more such questions
arise.
Today, almost all organizations depend on their database systems for the crucial
information they need to run their business. In every industry across the board, from
retail chain stores to financial institutions, from manufacturing enterprises to gov-
ernment departments, and from airline companies to utility businesses, database
systems have become the norm for information storage and retrieval. Database
systems form the centerpiece of the growing and maturing electronic commerce.
Database and Web technologies have merged.
The Information Technology department of today's organization has a primary
responsibility: The department has to support and keep the database systems
running. In this transformed computing environment, knowledge of database
systems is no longer confined only to specialists such as data analysts and database
administrators. Are you are a systems analyst, programmer, project leader, or
network specialist? Then you also need to know the basics of database systems.
You also need to grasp the significance of the database approach. All IT profes-
sionals need to study the basic principles and techniques of database design and
development.
First, let us begin to understand how we got to this stage where most organiza-
tions depend on their database systems for running the business. Let us trace the
evolution of data systems and see the essential need for the database approach.
Let us understand what exactly the database approach is. Let us briefly survey the
database industry and grasp the significance of the developments.
EVOLUTION OF DATA SYSTEMS
How were companies running their business before computers came into use? Even
at that time, organizations needed information to execute the business processes,
sell goods and services, and satisfy the needs of customers. Manual files supported
business operations. Accounting personnel performed manual calculations and pre-
pared invoices. Payroll departments manually wrote the checks. Business operations
were reasonably satisfactory.
So, what happened? How did we get to the computer database systems of today?
When computers were introduced in the 1960s, computer file systems replaced the
manual files. This marked a significant leap in the way data was stored and retrieved
for business operations. What has been really happening from that time until now,
when database systems have become the norm? What prompted the progress
toward database systems?