Database Management Systems

A. FUNCTIONS OF DBMS:

• DBMS manage the data, the database engine, and the database schema, allowing for data to be manipulated or extracted by users and other programs. This helps provide data security, data integrity, concurrency, and uniform data administration procedures.

Database Management Systems (DBMS) are powerful tools in the realm of data management, and they bring forth a wide array of advantages that play pivotal roles in various industries and organizations. However, alongside these benefits, DBMS also carries certain drawbacks that should be carefully considered:

Advantages:

• Improved Data Sharing: DBMS facilitates seamless data sharing among different users and applications, fostering collaboration and efficient information exchange.
• Data Integration: It enables the integration of disparate data sources, allowing organizations to derive valuable insights from a unified dataset.
• Data Security: DBMS implements robust security measures, including authentication, authorization, and encryption, to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access and breaches.
• Data Consistency: By enforcing data constraints and integrity rules, DBMS ensures that data remains consistent and accurate, preventing discrepancies that can arise in manual data management.
• Data Integrity: DBMS enforces referential integrity constraints, reducing the likelihood of data corruption or inconsistencies in interconnected tables.
  
  

Disadvantages:

• High Cost: Implementing and maintaining a DBMS can be expensive, involving costs for licensing, hardware, training, and ongoing support.
• Complexity: Managing a database system can be complex, requiring skilled administrators and often necessitating a steep learning curve for users and developers.
• System Overhead: Running a DBMS consumes system resources, which can lead to performance degradation, especially when dealing with large datasets.
• Data Dependency: Organizations become dependent on the DBMS, and any disruptions or failures in the system can have severe consequences on operations.
• Single Point of Failure: A centralized DBMS can become a single point of failure; if it experiences a critical issue, it can result in downtime and data unavailability.