This document discusses database systems and business intelligence. It defines a database as an organized collection of data, and a database management system (DBMS) as software for creating, storing, organizing and accessing database data. It notes that without data organization, businesses cannot successfully complete most activities. The document then describes the hierarchy of data from the bit level up to databases. It also defines key database concepts like entities, attributes, and primary keys that uniquely identify records.

1. Royal University of Phnom Penh
MIS-A2-Group6
Slide: 4-11
2012-2013
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2. Why Learn About Database Systems
and Business Intelligence?
Database:
 Organized collection of data on people, places, or things
Database Management System (DBMS):
 Specific type of software for creating, storing, organizing, and
accessing data from a database
 Provide an interface between the database and its users and other
application programs
For example: Microsoft Access, Oracle Database, Microsoft SQL Server,
MYSQL
Database Administrator (DBA):
 The people responsible for managing databases who sets up and
manages a database
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3. Data Management
No data and cannot process it:
Could not successfully complete most business activities
Data consists of raw facts
To transform data into useful information:
It must first be organized in a meaningful way
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4. The Hierarchy of Data
Bit:
 Is the smallest unit of data in a computer. A bit has a single
binary value, either 0 or 1
Byte:
 A byte is equal to 8 bits
Character:
 generally reserved for letters, numbers, and punctuation that
requires one byte of storage
Field (Column of table):
 Store data representing an attribute can be name, number, or
combination of characters
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5. The Hierarchy of Data (Cont.)
Record (row):
 A group of fields within a table
File:
A related collection of records
Database:
Collection of data that is organized so that its contents
can easily be accessed, managed, and updated
Hierarchy of data:
Bits, characters, fields, records, files, and databases
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6. The Hierarchy of Data (Cont.)
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7. Data Entities, Attributes, and Keys
Entity:
Generalized category representing person, place, thing
on which we store and maintain information
For example: Supplier, Customer, Staff, …. Etc
Attribute:
Specific characteristics of each entity
For example: Supplier (name, address, phone,… etc)
Data Item:
A unit of data (or value) to be processed. Includes
constants, variables, arrays, character substrings, or
records. 7

8. Data Entities, Attributes, and Keys
(Cont.)
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9. Data Entities, Attributes, and Keys
(Cont.)
Key:
Uniquely identifies each record
Primary key:
One field in each table
Cannot be duplicated
Provides unique identifier for all information in any row
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10. Thank You!
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