Database

A database, also known as a database system (DBS), is a system for electronic data management. Its purpose is to store large amounts of data efficiently, consistently, and permanently, and to make the required subsets available to users and application programs in various formats tailored to their needs. A DBS consists of two parts: the management software, called a database management system (DBMS), and the set of data to be managed, the database (DB) in the narrower sense, also known as a “data base.” The way in which such a system stores and manages data is determined by the database model. The most common form of a database system is the relational database system. A distinction must be made between the concept of a database described here (consisting of a DBMS and data) and database applications such as order management and procurement, customer and address management, invoicing, or LIMS.