Database Management
Almost every website needs a database management system, for a number of different reasons.
Whether it is for capturing customer billing details or creating an email list for subscribers, a database is essential for keeping records and making sure you have an organised location for your data, whatever it may be.
There are several database solutions out there, and they all offer very similar features, but some will work better than others for your specific application.
What is A Database Management System?
A database management system is a system for creating and managing any form of data.
A DMS lets users read, write and delete data from one centralised place that can be accessed by anyone.
Data can also be collected by a website automatically as users enter their details, then saved to the DMS so that it can be accessed and used later on.
The most useful feature of any DMS is the ability to access the data anywhere by anyone.
Team members can easily access the data as and when they need it, without having to have much technical knowledge.
The Best Database Management System
The truth is that there is no singular database management program this is better than all the others, since they all do slightly different things in different ways.
This means that different businesses with different approaches and services can use the database software that best suits their needs.
Some of the main database systems are:
- MySQL
- SQL Server
- Oracle
- FoxPro
- dBASE
Structured Query Language
Structured Query Language (SQL) is a standardised programming language that is used for creating, managing and securing data that is held in a related DMS.
There several underlying linguistical elements that make up SQL:
- Clauses – components of statements and queries
- Expressions – these produce scalar values or data tables in columns and rows
- Predicates – these specify the conditions that are applied to statements and queries
- Queries – these retrieve the data based on the given criteria
- Statements – these have an effect on data, program flow, connections and sessions
Historically, databases would only understand programming language as SQL, however this has changed in the past few years.
SQL remains one of the most popular and powerful programming languages out there, but there are a few others to choose from.
Oracle
Oracle is one of the front runners in terms of cloud-based database solutions.
It does have a few advantages over SQL based databases, but it essentially does the same thing.
Some of the main features that attracts web developers to it are:
- Cloud based back-up – database back-ups as you go
- Partitioning – store very large datasets across multiple devices
- Logical data structure – interact with the data without actually knowing where it is stored
Oracle is a bit more advanced than most SQL database systems, but this complexity does not always lend itself to efficiency and productivity.
With Oracle, there are a lot of settings that need to be configured, and businesses can often get lost in the process of configuring these settings.
This does very little for optimising the business’s actions and only adds more things to worry about.
Which Database Do I Need?
This is a tough one to answer, but the chances are if you are a very data-focused company you will probably already know which one you should be going for.
Generally, SQL is easier to work with and gets results that work for your staff and the company.
Oracle is a bit more powerful, but at the expense of complexity and taking longer to set up and integrate.
There are a few other advantages and disadvantages to each, but for most companies any sort of SQL database will be absolutely fine.
Frequently asked questions
We can build and maintain any database for your organisation.
Even simple websites can benefit from a simple database of previous customers and subscribers.
Our databases can be accessed by anyone from anywhere, and we can keep you right along the way.
Depending on the requirements, we may take up to 4 weeks to design and build a new website.
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