Data

Data:
A necessity for almost any enterprise to carry out its business. Consists of raw facts, and when organized may be transformed into information

Database:
A collection of data organized to meet users needs

Database management system (DBMS):

A group of programs that manipulate the database and provide an interface between the database and the user of the database or other application programs

Hierarchy of data

Example
Personel file

Database

Department file Payroll file 005-10-6321 Johns Francine 10-7-65 549-77-1001 Buckley Bill 2-17-79 098-40-1370 Fiske Steven 1-5-85

(Project database)

Files

(Personnel file)

Records
Fields Characters (bytes)

098-40-1370 Fiske Steven 1-5-85 598

(Record containing SSN, last name, first name, date of hire)

Fiske

(Last name field)

1000100

(Letter F in ASCII)

Terminology
Database
A collection of integrated and related files

File
A collection of related records

Record
A collection of related fields

Field
A group of characters

Character
Basic building block of information, represented by a byte

The Traditional Approach

The traditional approach Separate files are created and stored for
each application program

Data

Files Payroll

Application programs Payroll programs

Users Reports

Invoicing

Invoicing programs

Reports

Inventory control

Inventory control programs Management inquiries programs

Reports

Management inquiries

Reports

Drawbacks
Data redundancy
Duplication of data in separate files

Lack of data integrity

The degree to which the data in any one file is accurate

Program-data dependence
A situation in which program and data organized for one application are incompatible with programs and data organized differently for another application

Database Approach
The database approach
A pool of related data is shared by multiple application programs Rather than having separate data files, each application uses a collection of data that is either joined or related in the database

Payroll program Payroll data

Reports

Inventory data
Invoicing Data Other data

Database management system

Inventory program

Reports

Invoicing program

Reports

Other programs Database Interface Applications programs

Reports

Users

Advantages
Improved strategic use of corporate data Reduced data redundancy Improved data integrity Easier modification and updating Data and program independence Better access to data and information Standardization of data access A framework for program development Better overall protection of the data Shared data and information resources

Disadvantages
Relatively high cost of purchasing and operating a DBMS in a mainframe operating environment

Increased cost of specialized staff

Increased vulnerability

Information
Information is the processed data on which decisions and actions are based.
Information can also be defined as the organized and classified data to provide the meaningful values to the receiver.

Charateristics of Information
1.Acuracy 2.Form 3.Relevance 4.Timeliness 5.Completeness 6. Purpose 7.Reliability 8.Validity

Classification of Information
Action Vs No-Action: The information which induces action is called action information. eg.No-stock report calling a purchase action is an action information The information which communicates only the status of the situation is no-action information. eg. The stock ledger showing the store transactions and the stock balance is no-action information

-cont Recurring Vs Non-recurring information Recurring Information: The information generated at regular interval is recurring information. Eg.The monthly sales reports, the stock statements the trial balance etc.are the recurring information. Non-Recurring Information:

The information which does not generated at regular interval is non-recurring information .eg the financial analysis or the report on the market research study is a non-recurring information .

-cont

External vs Internal Information: Internal Information: The information generated through the internal sources of the organisation is termed as an internal information. External Information: The information generated through government reports, the industry surveys etc. is termed as an external information as the sources of the data are outside the organization.