OVERVIEW OF MAJOR COMPONENTS - Database Design and Development: An Essential Guide for IT Professionals - page 64

Database
design

Database
load

Language
interface

Performance
monitoring

D B M S

Spreadsheet
interface

Link to other
DBs

Toolkit
of
Utilities
and
Interfaces

Appl. Pgm.
interface

Backup and
restore

Graphics
interface

Interface to
security systems

Agent
systems

Alert
systems

Figure 2-13 DBMS: toolkit of utilities and interfaces.

programs, front-end tools, procedures, people interface, database practitioners,
and, importantly, the users.
• Database and DBMS do not mean the same thing. Database refers to the stored
data and the definition of its structures. DBMS is the collection of software
modules to create, access, maintain, and manage a database.
• Unlike a file-oriented environment, specialized software as a DBMS package
is needed because of sophistication in the areas of language interface, storage
management, transaction management, and so on.
• Languages needed for database practitioners and users to interact with the
database: data definition language (DDL), data manipulation language (DML),
and data control language (DCL).
• Each component such as hardware, operating system software, DBMS, and the
others possesses specific features and performs definite functions.
• Looking inside a DBMS you will find distinct software modules that
perform precise functions and provide specific services in a database
environment.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. List any six major components of a database environment. Why do you think
components other than data storage and database software are also included
as part of the environment?
2. Explain the distinction between database and DBMS.