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Database Management System

A DataBase Management System (DBMS) is a software application which allows the storage, retrieval, and manipulation of information in a prescribed format. One common form of organization is the table, which is formatted by row (record) and column (field). For example, a table storing data on animals might have a row for a cat, with fields for legs (4), whiskers (yes), type (mammal), and so on. Another row, for a snake, would contain 0, no, and reptile. The creator of the table must therefore anticipate any characteristics which will need to be recorded. In its purest form, a DBMS does not allow for unformatted data. This restriction allows quick indexing, sorting, and other data processing. Contrast this with full-text.


© 1993-2000 Christopher Keep, Tim McLaughlin, Robin Parmar.
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