Republic of the Philippines
BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
Magsija, Balilihan, 6342, Bohol, Philippines
Office of Instruction
Balance I Integrity I Stewardship I Uprightness
DBMS FUNCTIONS
Introduction
A Database Management System (DBMS) is more than just software for storing data—it provides a range of
functions that make databases reliable, efficient, secure, and easy to use.
Without these functions, databases would just be collections of files with no proper management.
Core Functions of a DBMS
1. Data Storage, Retrieval, and Update
• Primary function: Efficiently store large volumes of data and allow fast access.
• Handles structured data using tables, indexes, and relationships.
• Supports CRUD operations: Create, Read, Update, Delete.
Example:
• In an online shopping system:
o Create: Add a new product to the catalog.
o Read: Retrieve product details when a customer browses.
o Update: Change the price of a product.
o Delete: Remove discontinued products.
2. User Access Control (Security Management)
• Restricts who can access the database and what actions they can perform.
• Uses authentication (username/password) and authorization (permissions, roles). •
Prevents unauthorized access and protects sensitive data.
Example:
• In a hospital database:
o Doctors can update patient records.
o Nurses can only view certain data.
o Administrative staff cannot access medical details.
3. Concurrency Control
• Ensures correct results when multiple users access the database at the same time. •
Prevents problems such as:
o Lost updates: Two users updating the same data at once.
o Dirty reads: Reading uncommitted changes from another user.
• Uses techniques like locking and transaction management.
Example:
• Two customers buying the last ticket for a concert. The DBMS ensures only one purchase succeeds.
4. Backup and Recovery
• Protects data against failures (system crash, power outage, corruption, natural disasters). •
Backup: Regular copies of data are stored separately.
• Recovery: Database is restored to a consistent state after failure.
Example:
• A bank ensures that even if the system crashes mid-transaction, customer money is not lost.
5. Data Integrity Management
• Maintains accuracy, consistency, and validity of data.
• Uses constraints:
o Primary keys (unique ID for each record)
o Foreign keys (valid references between tables)
o Not Null, Check, Unique rules
Example:
• A student ID must be unique.
•A grade value must be between 0 and 100.
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Republic of the Philippines
BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
Magsija, Balilihan, 6342, Bohol, Philippines
Office of Instruction
Balance I Integrity I Stewardship I Uprightness
6. Data Dictionary Management (Metadata Management)
• Stores metadata (data about data).
• Describes database objects: tables, columns, relationships, permissions.
• Used by DBMS internally and by developers for database design.
Example:
• In MySQL, the INFORMATION_SCHEMA contains metadata about all tables and columns.
7. Data Communication Interface
• Provides an interface for applications and users to interact with the database.
• Typically done through SQL (Structured Query Language).
• Also supports APIs for integration with other applications.
Example:
• A mobile banking app communicates with the database using SQL queries over a secure API.
8. Transaction Management
• Groups multiple operations into a transaction that must either fully complete or not happen at all. •
Ensures ACID properties:
o Atomicity – All or nothing
o Consistency – Maintains integrity rules
o Isolation – Transactions don’t interfere with each other
o Durability – Changes are permanent after commit
Example:
• Transferring money between two bank accounts (debit from one + credit to another must happen
together).
9. Performance Monitoring & Optimization
• Ensures efficient use of resources.
• Uses query optimization, indexing, and caching to improve performance.
• Helps database administrators (DBAs) fine-tune systems.
Example:
• Optimizing a slow-running query in a student database by creating an index on StudentID.
10. Data Sharing and Multi-User Support
• DBMS allows multiple users and applications to work with the same data.
• Ensures consistency through concurrency control.
• Provides centralized access while maintaining security.
Example:
• An e-commerce database being accessed simultaneously by customers, warehouse staff, and
administrators.
Diagram – DBMS Functions
┌───────────────────────────────┐
│ DBMS Functions │
├───────────────────────────────┤
│ Data Storage & Retrieval │
│ User Access & Security │
│ Concurrency Control │
│ Backup & Recovery │
│ Data Integrity Management │
│ Metadata/Data Dictionary │
│ Transaction Management │
│ Data Communication (SQL/API) │
│ Performance Optimization │
│ Multi-User Data Sharing │
└───────────────────────────────┘
“Try and try until you try again haha!” – Sir P.
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