Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 33
Providing Access to
External Databases
Gilbert Held
O
,
VER
RECENT
YEARS
AN
INDUSTRY
HAS
ARISEN
OF
MORE
THAN
ONE
-
.
HUNDRED
FIRMS
PROVIDING
ACCESS
TO
COMPUTER
BASED
INFORMATION
Some information providers, such as Down Jones, provide access to a
wide range of financial information; others specialize in a narrow field of
information, such as library book purchases, home construction permits,
and department store sales. Thus, the first in developing an effective
external information access strategy is to define an organization's external
information needs. The next step is to select the appropriate external
database sources.
DEFINING DATA NEEDS
In evaluating the data needs, the database manager should distinguish
between user requests for information and for data. In this context, infor-
mation is derived or formatted from raw data, and data is the raw element
from which information is derived. Some users may need raw data that is
not available internally; others may need only the derivations or formatted
versions of data elements that are readily available internally.
New raw data elements should be acquired; however, information alone
does not justify its purchase. Instead, if possible, existing data elements
should be formulated to meet requests for information. For example, demo-
graphic reports are often aggregated into information as statistics are sum-
marized and listed in categories (e.g., men or women of 25 to 49 years of
age). If internal users decide they need more finite data concerning age
brackets, their organization can comply by reformatting its existing data.
SELECTING EXTERNAL SOURCES
Although it may appear easy to decide which databases must be
accessed to obtain required external information, providing this access in
a cost-effective manner can be difficult. Several information providers may
offer access to required information. One information access provider may
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