02 Nov 2017
A database is an organized collection of data. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality. The data can be used for number of purposes and by one or multiple persons even at the same time.
The major components of database environment are:
Repository
A repository is a collection of centralized knowledge containing all data definitions screen, output styles, data relationships and report formats of an organisation and system components.
An application program is used to send commands to the database management systems to control database. Graphical user interface is usually used to send the commands to the DBMS. The user interacts with the application program and then application program works together with DBMS.
This is a virtual environment which is used by the user to communicate with the computer. It contains buttons, menus and other components. The user interface contains the following components.
Forms: forms are used to enter data in the database. It contains labels, buttons and text boxes that allow the user to enter data easily. The user can retrieve, change and update data with the help of forms.
Menus: menus are a list of commands for carrying out different tasks. They are frequently used in windows-based applications. It is basically used for manipulation of data.
Data administrators are the people who are in charge of the whole database system. They permit access to the database as well as manage and observe the database
An end-user is a person who uses the database. They are responsible for data insert, updates and delete. Security is varied depending on end user positions.
Microsoft Access, also known as Microsoft Office Access, is a database management system from Microsoft that combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user interface and software-development tools. It is a member of the Microsoft Office suite of applications, included in the Professional and higher editions or sold separately. On May 12, 2010, the current version of Microsoft Access 2010 was released by Microsoft in Office 2010; Microsoft Office Access 2007 was the prior version
Microsoft Access is a computer application used to create and manage computer-based databases on desktop computers and/or on connected computers (a network). Microsoft Access can be used for personal information management (PIM), in a small business to organize and manage data, or in an enterprise to communicate with servers.
Microsoft Access provides database services. The software is useful for small businesses or individuals. The Access database can be used for website applications to store customer orders, contact information and company products. Access also provides small desktop applications, so businesses can get reports and create user forms that interact with the Access database. All the programming, reports and forms interact with Access tables, which are the core components that store database information.
The main feature in the Access software is the table. Tables are rows and columns that hold a set of data. For instance, a customer table contains a list of customers and their contact information. Queries are programming objects that retrieve, edit, delete and insert records into the tables. Reports are used to gather information from the database and view analytical data. Finally, forms provide an interface for users to manipulate the data in the tables.
Access allows the user to create "forms" and "reports". A form shows one record in a user-designed format and allows the user to step through records one at a time. A report shows selected records in a user-designed format, possibly grouped into sections with different kinds of total (including sum, minimum, maximum, average)
(http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Microsoft+Office+Access )
Oracle has various features which makes it popular and is made up of set processes running in the operation system; these processes manage how data is stored and how it is accessed. Users of oracle database refer to the server side memory –structure as the system global area (SGA). The SGA holds cache information such as buffers, SQL commands and user information. In addition to storage, the database consists of online logs, which holds transactional history. Process can in turn archive the online logs into archive logs, which provides basis for data recovery for some forms of data replication.
The oracle RDBMS stores data logically in the form of tablespaces and physically in the form of data files. Tablespaces can contain various types of memory segments, such as Data segments, Index segments etc.
Disk files primarily consist of the following types:
Data and index files: These files are necessary for the physical storage, which can consist of the data dictionary data (associated to the tablespace SYSTEM), user data, or index data. These files can be managed manually or managed by Oracle itself ("Oracle-managed files"). A datafile has to belong to exactly one tablespace, whereas a tablespace can consist of multiple datafiles.
Redo log files consisting of all changes to the database, used to recover from an instance failure. Note that often these files are stored multiple times, for extra security in case of disk failure. The identical redo log files are said to belong to the same group.
Undo files: These special datafiles, which can only contain undo information, are used for recovery, rollbacks, and read consistency.
Archive log files: These files are copies of the redo log files, but are usually stored at different locations. They are necessary for example to be applied to a standby database, or to perform recovery after an instance failure. It is possible to archive to multiple locations.
Tempfiles: These special datafiles are used exclusively for temporary storage data (used for example for large sorts)
Control file, necessary for database startup. "A binary file that records the physical structure of a database and contains the names and locations of redo log files, the time stamp of the database creation, the current log sequence number, checkpoint information, and so on.
An end user is the person that a software program or hardware device is designed for. The term is based on the idea that the "end goal" of a software or hardware product is to be useful to the consumer. The end user can be contrasted with the developers or programmers of the product. End users are also in a separate group from the installers or administrators of the product.
To simplify, the end user is the person who uses the software or hardware after it has been fully developed, marketed, and installed. It is also the person who keeps calling the "IT guy" with questions about why the product isn't working correctly. Generally, the terms "user" and "end user" mean the same thing. http://www.techterms.com/definition/enduser
Developers and programmers take special care of end users whilst making software, as this software will be used by the end users. Commands which will be used by end users to store edit and delete data must be easy to understand and should make sense to end users for understanding.
Compatibility between two database software (MS Office Access & Oracle)
While Oracle is an ORDBMS (Object Oriented Relational Database), Access is a RDBMS (Relational Database) only. This makes the two have a difference in terms of needs like interface requirements which either can act as a platform to serve the other. This makes the two compatible.
High assessment is required when you want to implement any global Oracle roll out. Normally, to make this program compatible with a Microsoft application, you have to be very good in programming to achieve even the smallest compatibility. This is because Oracle is tailor made while Access is compact. It comes with functionality that is built-in. Oracle can handle much more complicated databases whereas Access is a small application with limited database functionality.
Since Access is not as secure as Oracle, application within the Access platform can be utilized through Oracle to provide security.
Due to the optimal performance of Oracle, expert programmers perceive a lenient compatibility between Oracle and Microsoft Access and argue that, the two indeed can work together. By ignoring the context of compact manufacturer or rather the developer specifications, one can integrate the two applications using their own interfaces and application features. This does not mean inter-twining applications as a compact program, but to choose a facility in each and using it in another and vice-versa. Eventually, the experts deem that this is a great way to get results from each through hand picking applications from either.
1. Prepare the MS-Access environment.
2. Define ODBC connectivity.
3. Prepare the Oracle Environment.
4. Configure and Start the Oracle Listener.
5. Configure Oracle HS.
6. Configure Oracle connectivity to Windows Machine.
7. Create a database link.
Microsoft Office Access is a very powerful database tool which meets technological upward growth and development in computer applications. By using Oracle, which is quite essential in the database creation, the two would produce significant results in database creation
Where databases are used to store and retrieve data they are also used with other software for different purposes such as mail merge. E.g, without the help of mail merge it would be a time consuming task for a company to send thousands of letters to customers with different name and address
If a user wants to use mail merge to send letters to different people, two software’s are used. E.g. word is used to create a letter and access is used as data source where information about the customers is saved such as, customer name, DOB, address and postcode. Word processing system such as MS word creates an output for each row in the database, using the same text as it is shown in the letter. Mail merge has made it very easy to use database files with word processing systems to send same piece of information to a number of recipients with different name and address (http://www.brighthub.com)
Database Management System (DBMS) is a set of programs that enables you to store, modify, and extract information from a database, it also provides users with tools to add, delete, access, modify, and analyze data stored in one location. A group can access the data by using query and reporting tools that are part of the DBMS or by using application programs specifically written to access the data. DBMS’s also provide the method for maintaining the integrity of stored data, running security and user’s access, and recovering information if the system fails. The information from a database can be presented in a variety of formats.
Most DBMSs include a report writer program that enables you to output data in the form of a report. Many DBMSs also include a graphics component that enables you to output information in the form of graphs and charts. Database and database management system are essential to all areas of business, they must be carefully managed.
There are many different types of DBMSs, ranging from small systems that run on personal computers to huge systems that run on mainframes. The following are examples of database applications: computerized library systems, flight reservation systems, and computerized parts inventory systems (www.webopedia.com)
DBMS is widely used in commercial environment to store and retrieve data . some common uses in commercial environment are:
Rule enforcement – by using this service companies can make sure their attributes are clean and reliable. E.g. a supermarket can limit the sale of alcohol to over 18’s only. If someone below that age tries to buy alcohol he/she will be denied.
Query ability- query is a process of asking about some specific information. E.g " how many customers have business accounts with the bank"
Backup and replication – companies deal with a large amount of data which contains the important and confidential information about their customers, employees and other companies. By using backup and replication companies can save the data on different multiple locations which can be accessed in case of data loss.
Security – companies can also limit the access so it can be determined who can view or change the attributes or group of attributes.
DBMS is broadly used in non-commercial sector such as home, schools and colleges. The important features are as follows:
Computation – common computation requests such as counting, summing, sorting, dividing, multiplying, grouping etc. rather than using each computer application they can be done by the DBMS to do these calculations.
Access logging and change – administration of a college or university institution might be interested to know logged students in the online system and make changes on a particular date or time. Logging services allow this by keeping record of all the loggings and logging outs.
Automated optimisation – if there are frequent usage patterns or requests, some DBMS can adjust themselves to improve the efficiency and speed of those interactions
Apart from these features DBMS in non-commercial environment also covers the features in those covered in commercial environment. DBMS’s make it easy to store and retrieve the information about number of customers, students and employees in both commercial and non commercial environments
A DBMS makes it easy to search through the data (queries). In a spreadsheet, you can’t easily access related data; you have to search manually for it.
A DBMS controls redundancy (it doesn’t necessarily eliminate it,) which in turn
saves storage space
makes updates easy – less processing time
reduces inconsistent data.
A spreadsheet has redundancy which wastes storage space, takes more processing time and creates inconsistent data.
A DBMS has security features. A spreadsheet does not.
A DBMS can create customized forms to view, enter and edit data. A spreadsheet cannot.
A DBMS can create customized reports to get professional hardcopy output. A spreadsheet cannot.
A DBMS makes it easy to maintain data integrity because there are mechanisms that will ensure that the data satisfy all established rules (aka integrity constraints). A spreadsheet cannot do this.
A DBMS is more flexible in using the data for new purposes. A spreadsheet isn’t.
A DBMS makes sharing data easy because it is stored in just one location.
A DBMS can provide controlled access to the data, forms, reports and other objects through a switchboard (which is actually just another form.)
A DBMS increases productivity because programmers are freed up for other tasks. Also, users can do things they couldn’t do before unless they had programmers.
A DBMS provides for data independence – the structure of the data is independent of the programs that process the data. So the structure can be changed without the programs having to change.
Large size – occupies lots of hard disk space and RAM
Complexity – hard to learn, wrong choices may spell irreversible disaster later.
Greater impact of failure – failure impacts all users.
More difficult recovery – since it is more complex.
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