Information on databases - Essay Example

Information on DatabasesDatabases are found anywhere structured data needs to be stored and referenced for future use. This includes places like schools, hospitals, businesses, libraries, banks and even in home.Tables are the basic entities that store structured data in the form of rows and columns. Forms are designed to make the entry of data into tables easier. Queries are used to make searches on tables based on specific criteria and the output can be given in the form of a report that clearly shows the results of the query.

Currently I use a timetable to store data about my classroom activities and I use a paper based table to store records of things I need to do during the week. This includes such items as shopping for groceries, studying and places to visit. It has two columns of time and activity and several rows.According to [Geond], paper and database forms differ in the following ways. Database forms are electronic and thus can handle more data than paper can by several orders of magnitude. Paper forms are limited in their functionality unlike database forms which allow functionality search as carrying out quick searches, sorting, delete and undelete and etc.

Database forms can allow an audit trail to indicate who accessed what and when. Paper forms cannot allow this to happen. Database forms are more persistent and more difficult to destroy unlike paper forms because of easing of copying and storage.When I look for a t-shirt on amazon what I will be doing is running a query on their clothes database. The database is hosted at amazon’s datacentre. Most likely to be the same place where the website is stored as well. Apart reports for grades and balances due to DU, I have also received reports from the library on books I have borrowed for the whole semester and any fines required, a report of attendance from my lecturer and report from the bank on the status of my finances.

Databases I can identify in my life usage include: the databases my doctor keeps of his patients concerning their medical history, the ones my lecturers keep to record our class attendance, the ones I keep on what I need to do for the week and the ones my dad keeps in his business containing information about his customers.One way I could use MS Access today is store data about my grades from the different courses I have taken during my tenure in college. I could also use it to keep a record of all my income and expenditure for better personal financial management.

ReferencesGeond: , (George Washington Univerity, n.d.),