Database management system (DBMS) is software that enables users to organize, search, and manage data (information) stored in a computer. The stored information is called a database.
Databases store information in electronic files. A database file is made up of many records. Each record contains information about one item, such as a book. The information in each record is entered in various fields (categories). In a library’s database, the fields might include author, subject, and title.
A DBMS search function helps the user retrieve information. To make a search, the user selects a field, then types a key word or phrase. The search engine examines the selected field in all the records in the file, “looking for” the word or phrase. The search engine then presents the user with those records that contain the desired information.
Many large organizations, including governments, schools, and businesses, use DBMS’s. The information in databases is often so essential that such organizations cannot function without it. Such databases are therefore often backed up—that is, copied and stored in two places in case one copy is damaged or lost. Organizations also strive to protect databases from unauthorized use. For example, without proper security, a criminal might steal credit card information stored in a business’s database.
