Introduction - Database Processing: Fundamentals, Design, and Implementation - page 16

Applications Running
Over Corporate
Network (Client/Server)

E-Commerce
Applications on
Web Server

Database

DBMS

Web Portal with
Reporting
Applications

S
Q
L

Users

• Create
• Process
• Administer

XML Web Services
Applications

Figure 1-16
Components of an
Enterprise-Class
Database System

Mobile Apps

A third category of applications is reporting applications that publish the results of
database queries on a corporate portal or other Web site. Such reporting applications are often
created using third-party report generation and digital dashboard products from vendors such
as IBM (Cognos) and MicroStrategy (MicroStrategy 9). We will describe these applications in
Chapter 12.
The last category of applications is XML Web services. These applications use a combina-
tion of the XML markup language and other standards to enable program-to-program com-
munication. In this way, the code that comprises an application is distributed over several
different computers. Web services can be written in Java or any of the .NET languages. We will
discuss this important new class of applications in Chapter 12.
All of these database applications read and write database data by sending SQL state-
ments to the DBMS. These applications may create forms and reports, or they may send their
results to other programs. They also may implement application logic that goes beyond simple
form and report processing. For example, an order entry application uses application logic to
deal with out-of-stock items and backorders.

The DBMS in an enterprise-Class Database System
As stated earlier, the DBMS manages the database. It processes SQL statements and provides
other features and functions for creating, processing, and administering the database. Figure 1-17
presents the five most prominent DBMS products. The products are shown in order of increasing
power, features, and difficulty of use.
Microsoft Access (really the Microsoft ADE) is the easiest to use and the least power-
ful. Oracle MySQL is a powerful, open source DBMS frequently chosen for Web applications.
Microsoft SQL Server has far more power than its stablemate Microsoft Access—it can process
larger databases, faster, and it includes features for multiuser control, backup and recovery,

Figure 1-17
Common Professional
View of DBMS Products

Microsoft
Access (ADE)

Microsoft
SQL Server

IBM
DB2

Oracle Corp.
Oracle Database

Oracle Corp.
MySQL

Increasing
power and
features

Increasing
difficulty
of use