Definition database software

Techopedia Terms. Connect with us. Sign up. Term of the Day. Best of Techopedia weekly. News and Special Offers occasional. Database Software. Techopedia Explains Database Software. What Does Database Software Mean? Database software is a software program or utility used for creating, editing and maintaining database files and records.

Database software is also known as database management software DBMS , although these terms are not exact synonyms. It generally provides a graphical interface that allows users to create, edit and manage data fields and records in a tabular or organized form.

For example, MS Access software allows users to create, manage and query a database using its GUI controls and features, without having to write programming queries. Share this Term. These two programs are largely considered to be the forerunners of modern database management software. As more companies tried to follow suit, the market became flooded with general use databases that lacked standard functionality. However, these systems were still complex and required substantial training to manage.

In the s, relational databases hit the market. These tools offered a much simpler system that could be implemented by a variety of organizations without the need for database experts.

This quickly became the industry standard. These first relational databases used SQL for database interaction. One drawback of SQL is that its complexity meant slow slow performance, especially when it came to scaling up databases. The largest leap in database software technology after the creation of relational databases came about in the early s. At this time, large web companies, such as Google and Yahoo required high scalability and performance to deliver their products to users.

The answer was to build distributed, non-relational databases that used NoSQL. These databases were designed for enterprise-scale storage and high-performance data processing. Because of cloud computing , cloud-based database software in the form of software-as-a-service SaaS has become a popular option.

It offers more scalability to handle massive amounts of data required by modern organizations and frees up company resources because it is typically managed by the service provider. Part of what allows database software to improve efficiency and maintain security is the ability to assign roles to users that authorize or restrict access to certain portions of a network.

This ensures that users only have access to the assets they need to do their job. The primary roles include the following:. There are multiple different types of database software that are typically broken down into six categories:. On-premise database software generally allows for more customization.

The other option is cloud-hosting delivered as SaaS. Database software is used for a number of reasons across many industries. Because they have so many uses, there are dozens of database software programs available. Here are a few of the most popular:. Oracle RDBMS: This tool is one of the most popular database software options for enterprise organizations as it can support large databases but maintains good performance. Altibase: This is an open source database software solution but is also a high performing, enterprise-grade tool.

It uses an in-memory database to offer high speeds and is one of the few solutions that provides scale-out technology and sharding. It can handle robust sets of data but its relatively simple deployment and management make it a good option for smaller organizations and independent web developers as well. It offers high scalability, dedicated secure connections and it creates and stores backups automatically. SQL Developer: This tool was built with flexibility in mind.

Knack: Released in , Knack is a relatively new database software tool. It allows users to structure, connect and extend data without the need for any coding. Webopedia is an online information technology and computer science resource for IT professionals, students, and educators. Webopedia focuses on connecting researchers with IT resources that are most helpful for them. Webopedia resources cover technology definitions, educational guides, and software reviews that are accessible to all researchers regardless of technical background.

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