Course No: SOW-322

Database Management System in Social Work Practice

Md. Sayeed Akhter

Before moving on to the concept of Database

Management System
We must know abut data and database
Database Management System

What is data?
What is Data base?
What is Database Management System?
And so on
 What is data?

 Data are facts, numbers, characters, symbols,

images, etc. can be processed manually or by
computer.
 Data must be analyzed and then interpreted.
 Otherwise it is meaningless.
Data and Information
 What is database?

 A database is a collection of interrelated data which helps

in the efficient retrieval, insertion, and deletion of data from
the database and organizes the data in the form of tables,
views, schemas, reports, etc.
 For Example, a university database organizes the data about
students, faculty, admin staff, etc. which helps in the efficient
retrieval, insertion, and deletion of data from it.
A Database Management System (DBMS)

MySQL, Oracle, Foxpro,

Microsoft Access, etc.

A Database Management System (DBMS) is a software system that

is designed to manage and organize data in a structured manner. It
allows users to create, modify, and query a database, as well as
manage the security and access controls for that database.
 DBMSs are important because they provide efficient and
reliable mechanisms for organizing, managing and using vast
amounts of data while also ensuring data integrity and
providing other data management benefits.
 Key Features of DBMS
1. Data modeling: A DBMS provides tools for creating and
modifying data models, which define the structure and relationships
of the data in a database.
2. Data storage and retrieval: A DBMS is responsible for storing
and retrieving data from the database, and can provide various
methods for searching and querying the data.
3. Concurrency control: A DBMS provides mechanisms for
controlling concurrent access to the database, to ensure that
multiple users can access the data without conflicting with each
other.
4. Data integrity and security: A DBMS provides tools for
enforcing data integrity and security constraints, such as
constraints on the values of data and access controls that restrict
who can access the data.
5. Backup and recovery: A DBMS provides mechanisms for
backing up and recovering the data in the event of a system failure.
 Paradigm Shift from File System to DBMS
1. Redundancy of data: Data is said to be redundant if the same
data is copied at many places. If a student wants to change their
Phone number, he or she has to get it updated in various sections.
Similarly, old records must be deleted from all sections
representing that student.
2. Inconsistency of Data: Data is said to be inconsistent if multiple
copies of the same data do not match each other. If the Phone
number is different in Accounts Section and Academics Section, it
will be inconsistent. Inconsistency may be because of typing errors
or not updating all copies of the same data.
3. Difficult Data Access: A user should know the exact location of
the file to access data, so the process is very cumbersome and
tedious. If the user wants to search the student hostel allotment
number of a student from 10000 unsorted students’ records, how
difficult it can be.
 Paradigm Shift from File System to DBMS

4. Unauthorized Access: File Systems may lead to

unauthorized access to data. If a student gets access to a file
having his marks, he can change it in an unauthorized way.
5. No Concurrent Access: The access of the same data by
multiple users at the same time is known as concurrency. The
file system does not allow concurrency as data can be
accessed by only one user at a time.
6. No Backup and Recovery: The file system does not
incorporate any backup and recovery of data if a file is lost or
corrupted.
 Advantages of DBMS
1. Data organization: A DBMS allows for the organization
and storage of data in a structured manner, making it easy to
retrieve and query the data as needed.
2. Data integrity: A DBMS provides mechanisms for enforcing
data integrity constraints, such as constraints on the values of
data and access controls that restrict who can access the
data.
3. Concurrent access: A DBMS provides mechanisms for
controlling concurrent access to the database, to ensure that
multiple users can access the data without conflicting with
each other.
 Advantages of DBMS

4. Data security: A DBMS provides tools for managing the

security of the data, such as controlling access to the data and
encrypting sensitive data.
5. Backup and recovery: A DBMS provides mechanisms for
backing up and recovering the data in the event of a system
failure.
6. Data sharing: A DBMS allows multiple users to access and
share the same data, which can be useful in a collaborative
work environment.
 Disadvantages of DBMS
1. Complexity: DBMS can be complex to set up and maintain,
requiring specialized knowledge and skills.
2. Performance overhead: The use of a DBMS can add overhead
to the performance of an application, especially in cases where high
levels of concurrency are required.
3. Scalability: The use of a DBMS can limit the scalability of an
application, since it requires the use of locking and other
synchronization mechanisms to ensure data consistency.
4. Cost: The cost of purchasing, maintaining and upgrading a DBMS
can be high, especially for large or complex systems.
5. Limited Use Cases: Not all use cases are suitable for a DBMS,
some solutions don’t need high reliability, consistency or security
and may be better served by other types of data storage.

These are the main reasons which made a shift from file system to
DBMS.
 How to create a database?

The design process consists of the following steps:

1. Determine the purpose of your database
This helps prepare you for the remaining steps.
2. Find and organize the information required
Gather all of the types of information you might want to record
in the database, such as product name and order number.
3. Divide the information into tables
Divide your information items into major entities or subjects,
such as Products or Orders. Each subject then becomes a table.
 How to create a database?
The design process consists of the following steps:
4.Turn information items into columns
Decide what information you want to store in each table. Each
item becomes a field, and is displayed as a column in the table.
For example, an Employees table might include fields such as Last
Name and Hire Date.

5. Specify primary keys

Choose each table’s primary key. The primary key is a column
that is used to uniquely identify each row. An example might be
Product ID or Order ID.
 How to create a database?
The design process consists of the following steps:
6. Set up the table relationships
Look at each table and decide how the data in one table is
related to the data in other tables. Add fields to tables or create
new tables to clarify the relationships, as necessary.
7. Refine your design
Analyze your design for errors. Create the tables and add a few
records of sample data. See if you can get the results you want
from your tables. Make adjustments to the design, as needed.
8. Apply the normalization rules
Apply the data normalization rules to see if your tables are
structured correctly. Make adjustments to the tables, as needed.