What is a Database Management System?

Data doesn’t always come in easy-to-interpret packages. You could have a database with thousands of data sets, completely unorganized, uncategorized, unformatted, and often in codes. What’s the solution for making sense of a mess of data in your database? Consider the database management system as your tool of choice.

A database management system is software, or a group of software, that organizes and continues to manage assorted data in your database. It does far more work than defining your data. It can organize, categorize, and label your data, column headings, files, and other formatting features to make your data easier to analyze. 

Before and during the time a database management system works through your database, it starts applying rules to data sets to further validate and manipulate the data without human intervention.

Database Management Systems:

• Different database management system models
• Advantages of using a database management system
• Searching for a database management system
• Choosing your database management system

Read More: Guide to Database Management

Different database management system models

Just like there are different types of data, there are also different database management system models to put those data sets in order. The database management system market mostly consists of two models: relational vs. non-relational or SQL vs. NoSQL.

Relational or SQL model

The relational, or SQL (structured query language), model of database management systems is the most commonly used across business models. It works to organize traditional databases or data tables and interprets that data through structured language queries and commands. The data in a relational model can be read in relation to each other, with the different records and data types organized by the tool into categories.  

Non-relational or NoSQL model

The non-relational, or NoSQL (not only structured query language), model of database management systems is growing in popularity as big data management becomes more complex. It is important to note that some relational interpretation can happen in the non-relational model, but much of the data cannot be connected relationally or interpreted through structured query language. 

Non-relational database management systems allow you to interpret huge amounts of data at once, because the flexible format allows you to scale the database out to multiple servers as necessary. This type of software can work with data in document stores, graph databases, and key/value stores, among other formats.

Advantages of using a database management system

Here are a few of the advantages that come from implementing a database management system in your business practices:

• Improved organization and data visibility: When a database management system has scoured your large quantities and types of data, it also takes the time to organize your data into data types or categories that make sense. Other formulas and rules are applied, which make it simpler for your data analysts to find the data they need. 
• Better protection for your data: These platforms are not necessarily a form of data security, but they help ensure the accuracy of data, which is useful in backup and recovery, database communication, and security management.
• Data primed for data analytics: In both relational and non-relational databases, database management systems help to visually and categorically organize your data. Since the data has already been retrieved and manipulated for easier interpretation, your analysts can jump right into data analytics or predictive analytics.
• Business intelligence and setting competitive benchmarks: Greater data clarity has another perk: You can better assess your performance benchmarks and if your organization is meeting them. You can compare your performance to industry standards and other top players that know their data and publicly disclose it.

Find DBMS Software for Your Company: Best Database Management Software 2020

Searching for a database management system

Before you make the decision to implement a database management system or find a new one for your organization, it’s important to keep a few factors in mind before you select a solution:

Cost, time, complexity and maintenance

A database management system can be expensive and take a while to successfully implement with your databases. Do you have full-time employees or contractors who can help with the implementation process? It’s important to have knowledgeable internal players who can maintain the software as your data changes over time. 

Interoperability with existing vendors

If you’re already working with a cloud networking vendor, there’s a good chance they have database management system software that’s compatible with your existing tools. Interoperability is key to a successful database management system, so many organizations opt to work with a company that provides other software solutions. Some big database management system providers include Oracle, Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, Google, and SAP.

Relational or non-relational?

Depending on the quantity and complexity of the data you process and analyze, you may be looking at a relational or non-relational solution. Does most of your data relate to other data in your system? Are you working with huge quantities of customer or experiential data, particularly if you work in the social networking realm? Make sure you really know your data and the types of answers you want to mine from your data set.

Choosing your database management system

It can be overwhelming to make a big software decision in the database management system space. You have several software options to choose from in the market. Check out this database management software selection tool from TechnologyAdvice, and you’ll quickly discover which solution matches your core data needs.

Read Next: Top Data Management Platforms & Software 2021