Features And Characteristics Of Dbms Products Computer Science Essay Example

the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a user-friendly graphical interface and software development tools.

The Access Jet Database Engine allows Access to store data in its own format. Access can also import or connect directly to data stored in other Access databases, SharePoint lists, XML, Excel, text, HTML, Outlook, dBase, Lotus 1-2-3, Paradox, or any ODBC-compliant data container, as well as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, and PostgreSQL. Software developers and data architects can use Access to develop application software, while non-programmer "power users" can use it to build simple applications. Like other Office applications, Access is supported by Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), an object-oriented programming language that can reference a variety of objects including Data Access Objects (DAO) and ActiveX Data Objects. Additionally, Microsoft and third parties have created many other ActiveX components for use with Access.

In the VBA programming environment, visual objects in forms and reports can be interpreted with their properties and methods. Access provides a wide range of functions for Windows operating systems, which can be called from VBA code modules. This makes Access a programming environment with numerous capabilities. Users can create tables, queries, forms, and reports, and connect them with macros. Advanced users can utilize VBA to write sophisticated solutions that involve complex data manipulation and user control.

The initial purpose of Access was to allow end-users to access data from any source. It also offers features like importing and exporting data to various formats including Excel, Outlook, ASCII, dBase, Paradox, FoxPro, SQL Server, Oracle, ODBC, etc.

Access has the capability to link to and utilize data in its current location for tasks like viewing, querying, editing, and reporting. This

ensures that Access always utilizes the most up-to-date data. Users can perform joins between data sets stored on different platforms. Access is commonly used for downloading enterprise-level database data for local manipulation, analysis, and reporting. The Jet Database format (MDB or ACCDB in Access 2007) allows for the inclusion of both application and data in one file, making it easy to distribute the entire application to another user who can run it in disconnected environments.

The advantage of Access for programmers is its compatibility with SQL (structured query language). Queries can be viewed graphically or edited as SQL statements, and SQL statements can be used directly in Macros and VBA Modules to manipulate Access tables. Users can merge VBA and "Macros" for programming forms and logic, and propose object-oriented potential. VBA can also be integrated into queries. Microsoft Access also offers parameterized queries.

Other programs such as VB6 and .NET have the capability to reference queries and Access tables using DAO or ADO. In Microsoft Access, VBA can reference parameterized stored procedures through ADO. As an alternative to the Jet Database Engine, Microsoft SQL Server desktop editions can be used. This support was initially introduced with MSDE, a scaled-down version of Microsoft SQL Server 2000, and has continued with the SQL Server Express versions of SQL Server 2005 and 2008. It is worth noting that Microsoft Access is a database based on file server.

Unlike client-server relational database management systems (RDBMS), Microsoft Access lacks database triggers, stored procedures, and transaction logging. However, Access 2010 (not yet released) incorporates built-in table level triggers and stored procedures into the ACE data engine.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational

model database server developed by Microsoft. It primarily uses ANSI SQL and T-SQL for queries. The latest version of SQL Server, SQL Server 2008, was released on August 6, 2008. Its goal is to achieve self-tuning, self-organizing, and self-maintaining data management through technologies like SQL Server Always On that minimize downtime. Additionally, it supports structured and semi-structured data types such as pictures, audio files, video files, and other multimedia formats.

The current versions of SQL Server allow for the storage of multimedia data as binary large objects (BLOBs). However, a comprehensive understanding of multimedia data is necessary to perform specific functions on them. Paul Flessner, Senior Vice President of Server Applications at Microsoft Corp, states that SQL Server 2008 can serve as a backend storage for various types of data, such as XML, email, time/calendar, file, document, and spatial data. It also supports search, query, analysis, sharing, and synchronization across all data types. Additionally,
SQL Server 2008 introduces new specialized date and time types and a spatial data type for location-dependent data.
It also offers improved support for unstructured and semi-structured data through the FILESTREAM
data type which references files stored in the file system.
The structured data and metadata about the file are stored in the SQL Server database while the unstructured component remains in the file system.

To access these files Win32 file handling APIs or T-SQL within SQL Server can be used,
with T-SQL treating the file's information as a BLOB.

The backup and restore process in SQL Server 2008 includes the backing up or restoring of referenced files. Additionally, SQL Server 2008 has built-in support for hierarchical data and provides T-SQL constructs to handle them directly, eliminating the need

for recursive queries. The inclusion of compression features in SQL Server improves scalability, and it also includes Resource Governor, which enables the reservation of resources for specific users or workflows.

The SQL Server 2008 comes with various features such as transparent encryption of data and compression of backups. It incorporates the ADO.NET Entity Framework and utilizes the Entity Data Model for reporting tools, replication, and data definition. Additionally, SQL Server Reporting Services is enhanced with charting capabilities from Dundas Data Visualization Inc., which was acquired by Microsoft.

On the management side, SQL Server 2008 introduces the Declarative Management Framework. This framework allows for configuring policies and constraints declaratively on the entire database or specific tables. The SQL Server Management Studio included with SQL Server 2008 supports IntelliSense for SQL queries against the SQL Server 2008 Database Engine. Moreover, SQL Server 2008 provides databases through Windows PowerShell providers and management functionality through Cmdlets, enabling seamless management of the server and its instances using Windows PowerShell.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express

SQL Server Express is a version of SQL Server that offers support for most features and functions available in the original SQL Server. It fully supports features provided by Database Engine products. Here is a list of key features and components supported by SQL Server Express. Although Service Broker is supported, direct communication between two SQL Server Express servers is not feasible. The Dedicated Administrator Connection feature can be accessed in SQL Server Express by utilizing trace flag 7806.

Oracle Database 11g

Oracle Database is the first and only database developed for grid computing. The latest version, Oracle Database 11g, aims to simplify enterprise information

management, allowing customers to gain deeper insights into their business and foster innovation at a faster pace. This release offers enhanced performance, scalability, availability, security, and management convenience on an affordable grid infrastructure composed of standard storage and servers. Oracle Database 11g can be seamlessly deployed on various platforms, ranging from small blade servers to large SMP servers and clusters of all sizes. In this integrated series, explore the functionality of key new features like Flashback Data, Archive Database Replay, and SecureFiles through straightforward how-tos and illustrative code samples.

The computerized management abilities of Oracle Database 11g make it a cost-effective choice for operations. It can handle all types of data, including conventional business information, XML, and 3D spatial information. It is suitable for transaction processing, data warehousing, and content management applications. The tools in Oracle Database 11g allow capturing the production workload and repeating it in a test database or assessing the effects of modifications in the same database. Overall, Oracle Database 11g enhances the capabilities, flexibility, and convenience of the database infrastructure. For example, the new features in partitioning greatly simplify the design and management of partitioned tables.

The feature of distributing parts of tables across a file system enables the establishment of rules during table creation. This allows for storing different segments of a table as individual tables in various locations, while still presenting them as one table to the user. Initially, MySQL's replication capabilities focused on transmitting SQL statements from a master database to a slave database.

Statement-based replication is a feature that enables users to implement their own input filter on the indexed text, which allows for full-text search capability on various data

formats, including PDF files. Additionally, MySQL Events, also known as tasks, can be created to run on a predetermined schedule. These events consist of one or more SQL statements that execute at regular intervals, with specified start and end dates. Lastly, server log tables are another component of this system.

Before MySQL 5.1, the server used to write general query log and slow query log entries to log files. However, starting from MySQL 5.1, the server's logging capabilities for these logs have become more flexible. Log entries now have the option to be written to either log files (as previously done) or to the general log and slow log tables in the MySQL database. If logging is enabled, it is possible to choose one or both destinations.

The --log-output option allows for control of where log output is directed. DB2 is considered by many to be the first database product to use SQL, developed by IBM. Oracle, on the other hand, released a commercial SQL database product earlier than IBM. According to Boris Nalbach, CTO (Chief Technical Officer), IBM's DB2 database software is a leader in scalability, reliability, multimedia extensibility, and web enablement for demanding e-business applications. DB2(R) continues to evolve with various server features that can enhance or expand applications.

When utilizing DB2 features, there is no need to manually write code for the same tasks. Additionally, DB2 offers the option to store certain portions of our code on the server as opposed to keeping it all within the client application. This can bring advantages in terms of performance and maintenance. Below are the features provided by DB2 to safeguard data and establish data relationships.

Furthermore, there are

object-relational capabilities that can be utilized to construct versatile and sophisticated applications. Certain capabilities can serve multiple purposes, including restrictions that provide data protection and the ability to recognize relationships among data values.

Independence of Applications

This helps in making the application free from reliance on the data it handles.

DB2 features make it convenient to maintain and modify data logic in the database without affecting the application. If changes are needed, they only have to be updated in one location on the server instead of every application that accesses the data.

Performance

To enhance application performance, specific components can be stored and run on high-powered server machines. This change in processing minimizes network traffic between the client application and server.

Application requirements

The application might have distinctive logic that distinguishes it from other applications.

There are two options available for handling specific data entry errors. The first option is to create customized code that addresses these errors in a specific sequence. However, this approach may not be suitable for other applications. Alternatively, we can utilize server features of DB2 that can be shared by multiple applications.

On the flip side, some developers may prefer to include the error-handling logic within the application itself if it is only used by that particular application. It is important for developers and database administrators to recognize and acknowledge the notable differences in features and characteristics among different DBMS products.

While Microsoft Access has a larger user base, Oracle and IBM DB2 are generally considered to be superior.

Information about the native implementation of fundamental RDBMS features.

Conclusion

Different DBMS packages have varying features and capabilities. The most crucial consideration in the pursuit of a DBMS is often security-related. It is important

to contemplate whether the DBMS supports multi-user access, as this is a significant feature in many scenarios. If utilizing an RDBMS, ensure that it has comprehensive support for SQL.

If you are going to adhere to the strictness of the relational model, you should at least be able to take advantage of all its features. If you are using an object-oriented DBMS, supporting the Object Database Management Group's (ODMG's) standards provides a better chance of migrating code to other DBMS products. Regardless of the chosen model, language, or platform, it is important to explore the availability of open standards for DBMS and search for them in the products being considered.