1.Database as a vital business asset

• In this Information Age we are surrounded by mountains of data.

• The ultimate role of a database management system is to implement controls and provide maintenance to data files using data security to ensure integrity of data.

• Even more, data and information created from data are now considered vital enterprise assets, data and information are the lifeblood of the 21st century economy.

• "Organizations that do not understand the overwhelming importance of managing data and information as tangible assets in the new economy will not survive." Tom Peters (business author and speaker, 2001)

• Money and people have long been considered to be enterprise assets. Assets are resources with recognized value under the control of an individual or organization. Enterprise assets help achieve the goals of the enterprise, and therefore need to be thoughtfully managed. The capture and use of such assets are carefully controlled, and investments in these assets are effectively leveraged to achieve enterprise objectives.

2. Data, information, knowledge

Data is the representation of facts as text, numbers, graphics, images, sound or video.

the foundation of information, knowledge, and ultimately, wisdom and informed action.

BUT! Data can be inaccurate, incomplete, out of date, and misunderstood.

On a practical level, we speak about information that must be of the highest quality – data that is available, relevant, complete, accurate, consistent, timely, usable, meaningful, and understood.

Technically, data is the plural form of the Latin word datum, meaning "a fact." However, people commonly use the term as a singular thing. Facts are captured, stored, and expressed as data.

Information is data in context. Without context, data is meaningless; we create meaningful information by interpreting the context around data. This context includes:

• The business meaning of data elements and related terms.

• The format in which the data is presented.

• The timeframe represented by the data.

• The relevance of the data to a given usage.

The terms data and information are not interchangeable. Bits of data are combined in a logical way to impart specific information.

3.Database. Database management system, its main functions. Examples of commonly used databases.

To use the data effectively, the information must be stored in such a way that it can be retrieved and interpreted with flexibility and efficiency. Usually it is done by using databases.A database is an organized collection of related information used for a specific purpose, such as keeping track of ongoing work order activities or maintaining a library.

A database management system consists of software that operates databases, providing

• Storage

• Access

• Security

• Backup

Examples:

• Microsoft Access

• SQL Server

• FileMaker

Almo every database software comes with an Open Database Connectivity driver that allows the database tj integrate with other databases.