Types of users in DBMS

Users are of 4 types:

 1. Application programmers or Ordinary users

 2. End users

 3. Database Administrator (DBA)

  4. System Analyst

1. Application programmers or Ordinary users: These users write application programs to interact with the database. Application programs can be written in some programming language such a COBOL, PL/I, C++, JAVA or some higher level fourth generation language. Such programs access the database by issuing the appropriate request, typically a SQL statement to DBMS.

2. End Users: End users are the users, who use the applications developed. End users need not know about the working, database design, the access mechanism etc. They just use the system to get their task done. End users are of two types:

a) Direct users      b) Indirect users

a) Direct users: Direct users are the users who se the computer, database system directly, by following instructions provided in the user interface. They interact using the application programs already developed, for getting the desired result. E.g. People at railway reservation counters, who directly interact with database.

b) Indirect users: Indirect users are those users, who desire benefit form the work of DBMS indirectly. They use the outputs generated by the programs, for decision making or any other purpose. They are just concerned with the output and are not bothered about the programming part.

3. Database Administrator (DBA): Database Administrator (DBA) is the person which makes the strategic and policy decisions regarding the data of the enterprise, and who provide the necessary technical support for implementing these decisions. Therefore, DBA is responsible for overall control of the system at a technical level. In database environment, the primary resource is the database itself and the secondary resource is the DBMS and related software administering these resources is the responsibility of the Database Administrator (DBA).

4. System Analyst: System Analyst determines the requirement of end users, especially naïve and parametric end users and develops specifications for transactions that meet these requirements. System Analyst plays a major role in database design, its properties; the structure prepares the system requirement statement, which involves the feasibility aspect, economic aspect, technical aspect etc. of the system.

Components of database management

Components of Database System

A database management system is a collection of interrelated data and a set of programs to access that data. The collection of data is called database, which contains information relevant to an enterprise. The main goal of DBMS is to provide a way to store and retrieve database information that is both convenient and efficient. Figure shows a database system.

Database Management System

 DBMS

Figure 1.1 Database system

The database system has four components: Data, Hardware, Software and Users.

(i) Data: Data refers to collection of related information, combined to be stored at a central place , which is the basic of any activity in the organization. It is that component, for whose management the DBMS works. It is the most important and essential component and is the core of any organization and its activity.

(ii) Hardware: The hardware components of the system consist of : 

    (a) The secondary storage devices such as magnetic tapes or disks which are used to hold large volumes of data, together with associated I/O devices, device controller, I/O channels and so on.

    (b) The hardware processor and associated main memory that are used to support the execution of the database system software.

(iii) Software: Between the physical database itself i.e. the data as physically stored and the users of the system, is a layer of software, known as Database  Manager or Database Management System (DBMS). All requests for access to database are handled by the DBMS.

(iv) Users: This component includes all types of users, who derive the benefit of getting their work done by the DBMS, so that they have the required data and information with them for decision making. Users are of four types:

 1. Application programmers or Ordinary users

 2. End users

 3. Database Administrator (DBA)

  4. System Ana.yst