Data redundancy is a major problem that many businesses face. A company may have multiple copies of the same data in multiple locations. If the information needs to change, the records need to be updated in every location. Ideally, each copy of the data is updated every time the information changes. However, this is not always the case. A DBMS saves the data in one location and allows each user to access the same version of the data. When the data needs to be updated, only one location needs to be changed.
A DBMS can set access control for the database. Specific users can be given access to data needed to perform a job function. Protected information can be kept secure from all database users by restricting the type and number of users allowed to access the information in the database. A DBMS system allows users to log in and have immediate access to the data needed to perform a job function. This ease of accessing data can increase productivity and employee job satisfaction.
Data security is a top priority for any business. A DBMS allows a manager to control access to data. This control keeps data secure from users without a need-to-know. Company proprietary information can be kept secure in a database, along with employee and customer personal information. A database also helps to guard against data loss by utilizing backup and recovery services. A backup of the database stored off-site not only protects against data loss through computer error, it also protects against potential loss from natural disasters.
Database management systems are not only useful for storing and retrieving data, they are also useful for analyzing data. Data tables can be set up to represent relationships between data. This allows the user to draw inferences from the data using keys specific to tables within the database. By querying the database with Structured Query Language (SQL), the database is capable of using relational algebra to represent relationships that exist among data. A database can also be set up using rules to help protect the integrity of new data. All of these tools are available in a DBMS to help analyze data.