Introduction to Databases

Database Management Systems

• Massive - terabytes
• Persistent
• Safety
• Multi-user: Concurrency Control
• Convenience: Physical Data Independence, High-Level query language
• Efficiency
• Reliability

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• Database applications may be programmed via “frameworks”(Django, Ruby on rails, …)
• DBMS run in conjunction with “middleware”(web server…)
• Data intensive applications may not use DBMS at all(data stored in files: Hadoop)

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Key Concept

• Data Model: Relational, XML, Graph…
• Schema v.s. Data: Types and Variables
• Query Language

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Key People

• DBMS implementer: Build systems
• Database designer: Establish schema
• Database application developer: Programs that operate on database
• Database administrator: Keep running smoothly