Relational Database Software
Relational Database Software
What Is A Relational Cross Platform Database Program?
Often called a relational database management system (RDBMS), a cross platform database program is a database management system (DBMS) that is based on the relational model as created by EF Codd, based on his paper “A Relational Model of Data for Large Shared Data Banks”, published in 1970.
Many of the commercial and open source databases currently in use are based on the relational database model.
A Relational Database Software Example
A very simple example is when a user needs a “database” of, say, phone numbers. Typically, then decide between Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access. You want to decide between a spreadsheet program such as MS Excel or a relational database like MS Access. How do you determine which program to use?
Please note that Excel (and other similar spreadsheet programs) are not really database management systems. They store data in rows and columns called worksheets. Most people use Excel to manage basic information such as telephone numbers, employee names, office locations, etc.
Access (and other relational database software programs) store data in tables that look similar to worksheets but function more efficiently. Tables, the foundation of all relational databases function both independently and interdependently with other tables to allow the database user to combine data from multiple sources and analyze and/or report information in almost limitless ways.
While Access and Excel can work well for managing data, as the data needs grow in scope it becomes clear that your decision is now to use a relational database software program. And as the company needs grow more complex, so do the options.
What is RDBMS?
RDBMS: Typically is a DBMS in which data is stored in the form of tables and the relationship among the data is also stored in the form of tables. A frequently referenced definition of a relational database system is Codd’s 12 rules. At a minimum, these systems:
- presented the data to the user in tabular form, i.e. as a collection of tables with each table consisting of a set of rows and columns, which are related to each other
- provided relational operators to manipulate the data in tabular form
Common software applications include:
- .NET Framework
- C lib
- C++
- COM
- Director
- iPhone
- Java
- Objective-C
- ODBC
- PHP
- REALbasic
- Revolution
- Ruby
- Ruby on Rails
- Complete Matrix
Currently, most commercial relational DBMSes employ SQL as their query language.
Typical industry applications for relational database software can include inventory management, product control, locations and employee scheduling, year-end taxes, budgeting data and more.