DBMS Functions
- Computer Science Department
A DBMS performs the following important functions:
Data dictionary management – The DBMS stores definitions of data elements and their relationships in a data dictionary
Data storage management – The DBMS creates and manages the structures required for data storage
Performance tuning ensures efficient performance
Data transformation and presentation – The DBMS transforms entered data to conform to required data structures
Data is formatted to conform to the user’s logical expectations
Security management – The DBMS creates a system that enforces user security and data privacy
Multi User access control – The DBMS uses sophisticated algorithms to ensure that multiple users can access the database concurrently without compromising its integrity
Backup and recovery management – The DBMS provides backup and data recovery to ensure data safety and integrity
Recovery management deals with the recovery of the database after a failure
Data integrity management – The DBMS promotes and enforces integrity rules, thus minimizing redundancy and maximizing data consistency
Database access languages and application programming interfaces – The DBMS provides data access through a query language
A query language lets the user specify what must be done without having to specify how
Structured Query Language (SQL) is the de facto query language and data access standard supported by the majority of DBMS vendors
Database communication interfaces – A DBMS accepts end-user requests via multiple communication interfaces