The real question is what can we learn about databases that we don't already know? The answer? Everything. As our needs for specialized information in highly specific areas evolve, our database management systems must also grow and change to accommodate the demands.
To begin, let's clearly define what a database is. In its most elementary form, a database is an organized collection of data. If we take this definition very literally, the newspaper we read everyday is a database, the internet itself is a hypermedia database, the phone book is a database, even the take out menu from your local Chinese restaurant is a crude database. Technically a database can be a filing cabinet full of hard copy data, but for our purposes we will go with the assumption that we are speaking of the digital form. Generally they are classified according to their uses: statistical, analytical, operational, etc.
One of the most common kind of digital database is Online Analytical Processes, (OLAP) which contains information that can be searched and read by users, but not modified. For example an internet movie database site would be an OLAP. Vital statistics collected by the government and filed online is also an OLAP. These types of databases are vital tools in our daily work lives, and their modification by employees of the company that own the site can have pros and cons. The obvious benefits are maintaining both the integrity of the information and the purpose of the site. One downside would be in the slow acquisition and publishing of new information. Also, the internet as a whole is only as good as the people who post information on it. The appointed experts who compose and edit an online dictionary for example, would be very misguided if they assumed they were the only authority on the English language. Suggestions, corrections and input from users is paramount for the most up to date information on any subject. Online encyclopedic databases that allow users to share their own knowledge can be vital for the integrity of database management systems.
The operational database is another very common kind of database. Each time you make a phone call, purchase something or log onto your computer, an operational database is recording the information. Retail and phone companies use the information to learn about consumer spending habits, and as trends change so do the information collection tools. Perhaps an internet service provider will analyze user data from their current database and adjust the collection settings to remove or include more parameters. A coffee franchise may have a central operational database to which information from all their stores is sent and studied. They do not need customer names or even gender, the purpose of the database is to keep track of what kind of beverages are being purchased at what times of day. The data can then be used to adjust promotions, store hours or even price points. The kind of data collected from year to year will change as the consumer changes, and in turn we learn more ways to manipulate our data collecting practices.
Perhaps the largest lesson learned from the use of databases has to do with security. The simultaneous explosion of the internet and technology in the marketplace proved to happen just too fast for the public in general to comprehend the consequences of so much information being collected. Data security is still something all government agencies are battling for, both for themselves and for the civilian. Database management systems have some preliminary security protocols in place, such as access control, auditing and encryption. These safeguards are only as good as the codes they are written in. In fact, for every safeguard put in place there are probably ten hackers working to exploit it. Confidentiality goes hand in hand with database security. The collection of consumer buying trends, especially if the information contains personal data, can be dangerous if in the wrong hands.
So what more can we learn about databases? Again: Everything. We know how to learn about human behavior through the collection of data, but we still have so much more to learn about how to interpret and protect the data. In short, we can learn more about databases through the evolution of databases.
Author Resource:-
LearnQuest provides complete education solutions for organizations that need to train their staff on the latest business skills and Information Technology tools, methodologies, and languages. Through private online java training, LearnQuest can tailor all aspects of training to the goals and objectives of the client and the background of the participants.
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