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Q5-1 What Is the Purpose of a Database?

Chapter preview 197

Although you may not realize it, you access dozens, if not hundreds, of databases
every day. Every time you make a cell phone call, log on to the Internet, or buy
something online using a credit card, applications behind the scenes are processing
numerous databases. Use Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, and again
applications are processing databases on your behalf. Google something, and yet again
dozens of databases are processed to obtain the search results.
As a user, you need know nothing about the underlying technology. From your
perspective, “it just works,” to quote the late Steve Jobs. However, as a business
professional in the 21st century, it’s a different story. You need the knowledge of this
chapter for four principal reasons:
1. When you participate in the development of any new business initiative, you
need to know if database technology can facilitate your project goals. If so, you
need sufficient knowledge to assess whether building that database is akin to
building a small shed or is closer to building a skyscraper. Joni, in the opening
vignette of this chapter, needs to have some knowledge to assess how hard
(and thus how expensive) building that new database will be.
2. Because databases are ubiquitous in commerce, billions upon billions of bytes
of data are stored every day. You need to know how to turn that data into a
format from which you can construct useful information. To that end, you might
use one of many different graphical tools to query that data. Or, to become truly
proficient, you might learn SQL, an international standard language for querying
database. Many business professionals have done just that. See the So What?
feature of this chapter on page 205.
3. Business is dynamic, and information systems must adapt. Often such
adaptation means that the structure of the database needs to be changed.
Sometimes it means that entirely new databases must be created. As you
will learn in this chapter, only the users, such as yourself, know what and how
detail should be stored. You may be asked to evaluate a data model like those
described in Q5-4 to facilitate database change and creation.
4. Finally, you might someday find yourself or your department in a material mess.
Maybe you don’t know who has which equipment, or where certain tools are
located, or what’s really in your supply closet. In that case, you might choose
to build your own database. Unless you’re an IS professional, that database
will be small and relatively simple, but it can still be very useful to you and your
colleagues. Case Study 5 on page 230 illustrates one such example.
This chapter addresses the why, what, and how of database processing. We begin
by describing the purpose of a database and then explain the important components
of database systems. Next, we discuss data modeling and show how IS professionals
use data models to design database structure. We then discuss how a database
system could be used to solve the tracking problem at Falcon Security. We’ll wrap up
with pondering where database technology might be in 2026.

Q5-1 What Is the Purpose of a Database?

The purpose of a database is to keep track of things. When most students learn that, they wonder
why we need a special technology for such a simple task. Why not just use a list? If the list is long,
put it into a spreadsheet.