Database Packages (JSS3 FIRST TERM)

 Database Packages

 ✔      A database is a collection of information that is organised in a logical way so that it can be easily accessed, managed and updated.

        OR

 ✔      A database is an organised collection of information that can be stored on a computer as a set of text files or spreadsheets.

 Database Management System (DBMS)

✔      A database management system (DBMS) is a software program that is used to create and manage databases.

 ✔      Example of such programs are

❑      Google Spreadsheets

❑      Microsoft Excel

❑      Microsoft Access

Tables

 ✔      Most databases are organised as tables that contain fields, records and files.

❑      A field is a single piece of information

❑      A record is one complete set of fields

❑      A file is a collection of records

 

❖      Tables can store many different types of records.

For example: School databases

 ACTIVITY

•        Draw up a table in which you organise information about your classmates.

•        Ensure that your table contains the following fields:

❑   Name

❑   Address

❑   Email address

❑   Date of birth

 Primary Key

✔      Every single record in a database has a primary key to identify it.

✔      Each primary key is unique.

✔      A primary key is a field that is used to sort data in a database.

The following are examples of primary key fields:

❑      Car registration number

❑      Personal identification number

❑      Examination centre number

❑      Examination candidate number

 Data Entry

✔      Data entry is the process of putting information into a database.

✔      It is usually done manually.

✔      A data-entry form simplifies the process and ensures that the correct type of data is entered.

 Types/Forms of databases

✔      The type of database that is used depends on the type of information that the database will store.

 

Some of these are highlighted below:

•              Flat-file database

•              Relational database

•              Hierarchical database

 Flat-file database

⮚      In a flat-file database, each database is contained in a single table. A flat-file looks like a spreadsheet, and has no related files or tables.

⮚      Flat files are easy to create

 Relational database

 ⮚      Relational databases are structured to recognise relationships between stored items of information.

⮚      A relational database has more than one table and the tables are linked using key fields.

⮚      For example, a bookshop database could have three tables to store information on its books.

Hierarchical database

⮚      Data in a hierarchical database is organised into a hierarchy,

Advantages of using databases

✔      Advantages of using databases include the following:

 ❑      Databases can store very large numbers of records efficiently and they take up little space.

❑      Information that is stored in a database can be found quickly and easily.

❑      It is easy to add new data and to edit or delete old data in a database.

❑      Data in a database can be sorted easily, for example, into surname order

❑      More than one person can access the same database at the same time

❑      Security may be better than in paper files.

Uses/Application Areas of databases

✔      Databases can be useful to us in the following ways:

❑      The police store the details of all known criminals in a database.

❑      Schools can use a database to store details about their students, such as how many days they have been off school - sick.

❑      Hospitals store information about their patients in a database.

❑      A database can be used to keep track of traffic offences

❑      Search engines are databases. They enable of computer users to find information on the internet.