Advantages and Disadvantages of Database Management System (DBMS)
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Advantages and Disadvantages of DBMS
DBMS = Database Management System
What is a database?
Database is a collection of data which is interrelated and is used to retrieve, insert, and modify data efficiently. It can also be used to organize the data in the database in a schema, table, views, reports, etc. Information retrieval, modification, deletion and insertion can be done using the database.
Database Management System
Database management system offers an interface for performing a number of operations like creation of a database, data storage, updating data, creating tables to store information in it and much more. DBMS also offers security and protection to the database and maintains data consistency in case there is more than one user. Database Management System (DBMS) is a software application that manages data stored in a computer. DBMS provides a way to store, retrieve, update, and delete information. Database management system or the DBMS is a software application program that facilitates a user to define, construct, and operate a database as well as regulate and control data access.
It is a set of data management tools that allows diverse kinds of users to generate, manage, retrieve, update, and save data in real-time. Database management systems are designed to provide reliable storage and retrieval of data. Provide control access to the data. A database management system may be used to manage any type of data including text, numbers, images, video, audio, etc.
DBMS enables users for the tasks as stated below:
1. Data definition: DBMS is used for the creation of definition, their modification, and the removal of definitions that define the organization of data in the database.
2. Data updation: DBMS is used for updating the data in the database through the means of modification, insertion, and deletion of actual data.
3. Data retrieval: It is used for the retrieval of data by the application to perform various functions.
4. User Administration: DBMS is used for registration and monitoring of users, concurrency control, maintaining data integrity, monitoring performance, enforcing data security, and recovering data lost due to critical failure.
Features or Characteristics of DBMS
1. DBMS is a collection of data and user is not required to write the procedures for Managing the database.
2. It establishes a digital repository on a server to store and manage the data in the database.
3. It provides a clear view and a logical view of the process manipulating the data.
4. DBMS offers automatic backup and recovery of the data.
5. DBMS maintains data in a healthy manner in case of failure due to ACID properties.
6. It has the ability to reduce the complicated relationship between the data in the database.
7. To incorporate the requirements of the organization, system should be designed for easy maintenance.
8. Information systems should allow interactive access to data to obtain new
9. Information without writing fresh programs.
10. System should be designed to co-relate different data to meet new requirements.
11. An independent central repository, which gives information and meaning of available data is required.
12. Integrated database will help in understanding the inter-relationships between data
13. Stored in different applications.
14. The stored data should be made available for access by different users Simultaneously.
15. Automatic recovery feature has to be provided to overcome the problems with processing system failure.
16. It is used for processing and manipulation of the data.
17. It provides security of data.
18. It can view the database from different viewpoints depending on the needs of the users.
19. DBMS provides an abstract view of data that hides the details.
20. DBMS is efficient to use since there are wide varieties of sophisticated techniques to Store and retrieve the data.
21. DBMS takes care of Concurrent access using some form of locking.
22. DBMS has crash recovery mechanism, DBMS protects user from the effects of system Failures.
23. DBMS has a good protection mechanism.
Advantages of the Database Management System
There are several clear benefits of employing a database management system. The merits of a database management system over a flat-file management system are manifold.
A summary of the few advantages is provided below.
1. Redundancies and Inconsistencies can be Reduced
The data in conventional file systems is often not centralized. Some applications may require data to be combined from several systems. These several systems could well have data that is redundant as well as inconsistent ( that is, different copies of the same data may have different values). Data Inconsistencies are often encountered in everyday life.
2. Better Service to the Users
In conventional systems, availability of information is often poor since it normally is different to obtain information that the existing systems were not designed for. Once several conventional systems are combined to form one centralized database, the availability of information and its up-to-date is likely to improve since the data can now be shared and the DBMS makes it easy to respond to unforeseen information requests.
3. Flexibility of the System is Improved
Changes are often necessary to the contents of data stored in any system. These changes are more easily made in a database than in a conventional system in that these changes do not to have any impact on application programs.
4. Cost of Developing and Maintaining Systems is Lower
Although the initial cost of setting up of a database can be large, one normally expects to overall cost of setting up a database and developing and maintaining application programs to be lower than for similar service using conventional systems since the productivity of programmers can be substantially higher in using nonprocedural languages that have been developed with modern DBMS than using procedural languages.
5. Standard can be Enforced
Since all access to the database must be through the DBMS, standards are easier to enforce. Standards may relate to the naming of the data, the format of the data, the structure of the data etc.
6. Security can be Improved
Setting up of a database makes it easier to enforce security restrictions since the data is now centralized. It is easier control that has access to what parts of the database. However, setting up a database can also make it easier for a determined person to breach security.
Data is now one of the most precious resources available in the modern world. Additionally, the need for data protection becomes even more critical. A large amount of people having access to the database raises the likelihood that the data may be compromised. A simple security layout can be provided by the database management system. Only users with such permissions will be able to view or alter the data, according to limits placed on the information’s access by the database administrator. Although it does not guarantee total security, it does offer a solid security design.
7. Integrity can be Improved
The instances where integrity may be compromised. For example, someone may make a mistake in data input and such that salary of an employee may be input as $4,000 rather than $40,000. A student may be shown to have borrowed books but has no enrolment. Salary of a staff member in one department may be coming out of the budget of another department. Controls therefore must be introduced to prevent such errors to occur. However, since all data is stored only once, it is often easier to maintain integrity than in conventional systems. Multiple files may have diverse information about the particular entity or person, which is called data inconsistency.
If a database management system (DBMS) minimizes data redundancy, the database management system contributes to improved data consistency. The merging of several data files into a singular file is facilitated by data integrity. Data integrity is feasible with DBMS, making it much easier to reduce data redundancy. Data integration helps to reduce duplication and discrepancies in data. In a well-designed database, the likelihood of data inconsistency is reduced substantially.
It Is essential to offer specific capabilities, such as executing numerous transactions and allowing continuous access to the data, when giving many users database access. Maintaining the accuracy of the information is essential to prevent data loss when numerous users attempt to alter the same piece of data at the same time. Data redundancy is reduced in the database by the normalized format in which the data is kept. Additionally, it lessens any discrepancies in the data. Inside a database, the entire set of data is kept in a single file, as opposed to a file system in which it is spread across numerous directories, files, and folders.
8. Enterprise Requirements can be Identified
All enterprises have sections and departments and each of these units often consider the work of their unit and also their needs as the most important. Once a database has been set up with centralized control, it will be necessary to identify enterprise requirements and to balance the needs of competing units. It may become necessary to ignore some requests for information if they conflict with higher priority needs of the enterprise.
9. Reduce Time
It reduces development time and maintenance need.
10. No redundant data
Redundancy removed by data normalization. No data duplication saves storage and improves access time.
11. Data Model must be Developed
Perhaps the most important advantage of setting up a database system is the requirements that an overall data model for the enterprise be built in conventional systems, it is more likely that files will be designed as needs of particular applications demand. The overall view is often not considered. Building an overall view of the enterprise data, although often an expensive exercise is usually very cost-effective in the long term.
12. Evolved Data protection
The increased the number of people that have access to the data, the higher the likelihood of a data security compromise. Companies spend plenty of time, money and effort, and resources to make sure that their data is being used correctly in the first place.
A database management system (DBMS) offers a blueprint for more reliably implementing data privacy and security standards. Only user accounts will be permitted to use login credentials to access the database.
13. Privacy
Limited access means privacy of data. DBMS can grant and revoke access to the database on user level that ensures who is accessing which data. It also helps user to manage the constraints on database, this ensures which type of data can be entered into the table.
14. Significantly strengthened data exchange
The database management system (DBMS) facilitates the formation of an environment in which end users have better exposure to even more better-managed data.
In DBMS, data may be exchanged across authorized database users. Each user has individual access privileges to the database. The database is readily available to the admin. He has the power to add users to the database.
End users can immediately respond to changes in their environment with this kind of access.
15. Heightens Data Protection
Data is now one of the most precious resources available in the modern world. Additionally, the need for data protection becomes even more critical. A large amount of people having access to the database raises the likelihood that the data may be compromised. A simple security layout can be provided by the database management system. Only users with such permissions will be able to view or alter the data, according to limits placed on the information’s access by the database administrator. Although it does not guarantee total security, it does offer a solid security design.
16. Improves the effectiveness of data exchange
With DBMS, data can be exchanged between users more effectively, and access to the data can be restricted so that only authorized users are permitted to view it, as opposed to earlier systems when everyone with access to the system could access the data. We can more easily manage the data in a DBMS
17. Better decision-making
Better-organized data and more straightforward and quicker access to information equip us with higher-quality data that facilitates in making more intelligent decisions. The efficiency of the original data largely determines the usefulness of the data generated.
Data quality pertains to a comprehensive view to guaranteeing data correctness, authenticity, and dependability. While the database management system (DBMS) can not help ensure data quality, it provides a foundation for data quality activities. End-user productivity has boosted.
18. Recovery and Back-up
Data is the most precious resource for the entity, as was described before; therefore, data preservation is just as critical as data protection. By performing regular backups using a DBMS, a user can store the most recent data on the drive or the cloud. The user can utilize the restore to retrieve the information from the drive or even the cloud if it is deleted from the system.
Data loss is a big problem for all the organizations. In the file system users have to back up the files in regular intervals which lead to waste of time and resources. DBMS solves this problem of taking backup automatically and recovery of the database.
19. Easy Maintenance
The centralized nature of the database helps in the easy maintenance of the data.
20. Avoidance of inconsistency
DBMS controls data redundancy and also controls data consistency. Data consistency is nothing but if you want to update data in any files then all the files should not be updated again.
In DBMS, data is stored in a single database so data becomes more consistent in comparison to file processing systems.
21. DBMS gives faster data access
It provides a faster access experience when you tried to fetch your details from the database then it can complete providing your details within milliseconds.
22. Restricting Unauthorized Access
In DBMS database administrator uses some security and unauthorized systems to restrict unauthorized access of the users.
23. Controls database redundancy
All the data is stored in one place, and that recorded in the database and hence controls the redundancy in the database. We call duplication of a lot of space of the same type of data. And a lot of space of one kind of data causes data inconsistency. Which increases storage and cost. But in DBMS we get rid of it.
24. Cost-Effective
Using a DBMS is cost-effective, reducing the need for manual data entry and management. It also reduces the need for redundant data storage and duplication, reducing the overall data storage and management cost.
25. Easy to Share Data
Well the DBMS provides security and privacy so that no one can get access to our data but it also provides the functionality to share data with others if the user wants to share their data with others. DBMS allows users with authority to share the data in the database with multiple users.
The environment provided by the DBMS is user friendly in terms of data sharing among end users. Not only users, even applications will be able to share data regardless of the number they are present in. From this kind of environment, users can manage and access data simultaneously so that whatever the changes happening inside the database will be alerted quickly to the user.
26. Simple Access
The database can be easily accessed in DBMS. An application programming interface (API) is used to access it easily.
DBMS allows users to directly access the required information without presenting irrelevant records. Whatever the hardware and software requirement it is, the users will be able to use it with ease. Each data in DBMS is categorized accordingly which makes them easy to classify.
27. Decision Quality
A good database management system and access not only provides quality information, it also ensures better decision making. Whenever there is quality underlaying data, there can be assurance of quality information too. Having quality information essentially means that the data is of high accuracy, validity and able to produce timely responses.
Users can have better-quality information and make better decisions due to DBMS’s well-managed data and improved data access. It offers a framework to facilitate data quality initiatives. Better data management techniques produce higher-quality information, enabling better organisational decision-making.
28. It hides the data which is not useful for the user
DBMS helps the user to provide those data which is useful only for the user and the rest of the useless data it hides from users.
29. Scalability
A DBMS allows the data in the database to be scaled and expanded as the organization’s needs grow. It allows the data in the database to be partitioned, replicated, and distributed to meet the organization’s needs.
30. Concurrency Control
DBMS systems provide mechanisms to provide concurrent access of data to multiple users.
31. Improved data organization
A database management system allows us to organize and store data in a structured and efficient manner, making it easier to access and retrieve information.
32. Data Abstraction
A DBMS provides data abstraction, which hides the data storage and management details from the users. This allows the users to focus on the data rather than the details of how the data is stored and managed.
33. Data Interoperability
A DBMS allows data shared and accessed by different applications and platforms, regardless of the underlying hardware and software. This allows the data in the database to be accessed and used by different applications and platforms without the need for complex data conversions or data duplication.
34. Easy to Understand
In Database management systems (DBMS), we can present data straightforwardly and logically. It is simple to carry out many activities, such as adding, deleting, or creating files or data.
35. Increased end-user productivity
The available data transform into helpful information with the help of combination tools. It helps end users make better, informative and quick decisions that can make the difference between success and failure in the global economy.
Additionally, today DBMS is also serving as the backbone of several advanced Technology practices like Data Science, Data Modelling and Machine Learning. So, if you are someone looking for a career in analytics or automation then dbms is a must have skill for you.
36. Simplicity
DBMS allows us to understand data better with a clear and simple logical view. With dbms, many operations like deletion, insertion or creation of file or data, are easy to implement.
37. Data retrieval
DBMS provides a platform that is time-saving and easy to use for organizations. Data can be stored and retrieved quickly and securely within time constraints.
38. Enhance the Process of Decision-Making
It is considerably simpler to study the data because it is presented in a more organized format with rows and columns by the DBMS. We can reach certain conclusions by doing straightforward database queries. Constraints that must be followed when storing data in DBMS improve data quality, which in turn improves decision-making. The productivity and utility of the data improve dramatically as a result.
39. Raises your ability to increase profits
It helps you better understand how your business processes are working. Are they working together to build your success? Or are they operating independently, not aiding each other?
You may be making mistakes that cost a lot of money and effort. For example, let’s say you see that your business has high sales transactions but you are not gaining money. Instead, you are losing money.
Looking at your DBMS, you notice that you are selling too many low-end products. But as you are a small business, you can’t sell them in mass quantity (like Amazon) to gain a real profit. It means you need to focus on quality, rather than quantity. Then, you can tell your sales team to sell more mid-level or high-quality products. Sell less of them, but improve the revenue.
40. Flexible
Database systems are more flexible than file processing systems. DBMS systems are scalable, the database size can be increased and decreased based on the amount of storage required. It also allows addition of additional tables as well as removal of existing tables without disturbing the consistency of data.
Disadvantages of the Database Management System
Although DMBS provides a lot of benefits, it also has a lot of drawbacks. DBMS has the following drawbacks:
1) Hardware and software expenditures
hardware require a high-speed CPU and a huge working memory to perform the DBMS software, which necessarily involves the acquisition of pretty expensive hardware.
The Investment of maintaining the hardware, software, and employees required to run and operate a database system may be particularly significant. When database systems are installed, issues such as training, licensing, and regulatory compliance are sometimes underestimated.
2) High Cost of DBMS
A Complete database management system is very large and complex software. Database management software is expensive to purchase.
3) Higher hardware cost
Database management is complicated and heavy software. It requires a large amount of memory and higher processing power to run. It requires powerful hardware to work properly and efficiently.
4) Because of huge data, it creates some problems
If the user has a large amount of data in the database then it creates some issues to provide the actual data to the user.
5) Problems in the wrong database environment
The problems may occur if the wrong type of database environment is selected. A database system may also need changes due to changes in requirements. The change can be costly due to the conversion and testing of the existing programs.
6) Needs for data dictionary
Another disadvantage of DBMS is the need for a data dictionary. Data dictionaries stores data definitions or description of the structure of data used in the database.
7) Not easy to manage DBMS
well there is a database that is managed by the DBMS so the DBMS is managed by the database administrator, but the problem is it is not easy to manage because it is complex, to manage the DBMS then it requires some technical skill to learn other non-technical managers can not able to manage it properly.
8) Sometimes the Database gets failed
It means sometimes the database can get failure because of a high load of data access and for another reason, if it got failed then we are not able to get access to our data. DBMS faces a higher risk of losing the data since all the data is stored at a single location and a catastrophic failure can wipe it all.
9) Size
The functionality of DBMS makes use of a large piece of software which occupies megabytes of disk space. A Large amount of storage size is required to run DBMS efficiently.
10) Complexity
The provision of the functionality that is expected of a good DBMS makes the DBMS an extremely complex piece of software. Database designers, developers, database administrators and end-users must understand this functionality to take full advantage of it.
Failure to understand the system can lead to bad design decisions, which leads to a serious consequence for an organization. DBMS adds an additional layer of complexity to the data.
11) Performance is not good in small databases
Small databases use only by small firms so if our data are stored in this database then the performance of getting access to our data is too late.
12) Massive Dimensions
The features of a database management system (DBMS) are delivered by an extensive software program that uses up gigabytes of storage space.
13) Frequent requirements for updates
DBMS providers often focus on improving their products by introducing new elements, which culminates in recurrent upgrade/replacement phases.
These technological advances are typically incorporated in new software update versions.
Hardware updates are mandatory for many of these versions. Not only would updates cost a lot of money, simultaneously mentoring database users and administrators on how to utilize and handle the new capabilities demand effort and resources.
14) Productivity
It’s conceivable that overall performance won’t be as rapid as you’d like it.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of DBMS In Tabular Form
Advantages of DBMS:
Disadvantages of DBMS:
Comparison Table for Advantages And Disadvantages Of DBMS
Summary
After summarizing all the above information here we have explained what is DBMS, Database Management System and it’s Features. Here we cover also Advantages and Disadvantages of DBMS. Now, you must have understood how powerful tool DBMS is. It enables users to manage and organize data in a structured manner. Such as data abstraction, integrity and security, concurrent access, and backup and recovery, make it a crucial tool for organizations. There are many Advantages of DBMS but there are also some Disadvantages of Database Management System.