Database Management Systems: Security, Concurrency, and Control

Introduction to Databases and DBMSs

In an increasingly information-rich society, database management is an ever-expanding and increasingly important field. This paper discusses databases, database management systems (DBMSs), and their importance in today's society. Additional topics include the need for security, concurrency, and control within database management, as well as the role of the database administrator.

A database can be defined as "a structure that can house information about multiple types of entities, the attributes of these entities, and the relationships among the entities." Databases can contain a wide variety of information. For example, a university database may include information about students, courses, and classrooms. Furthermore, this university database may contain significant amounts of information about the relationships between these entities, such as student course enrollment and the use of classrooms for courses (Ramakrishnan).

A database management system (DBMS) is "a software product through which users interact with a database." These systems allow for the maintenance and management of large amounts of information. DBMSs are becoming widely used, and the need for such systems continues to increase (Ramakrishnan). Users interact with the database through the DBMS, either directly or indirectly through programs that interface with the database.

The need for databases and database management systems stems from the extraordinary amount of information that exists in today's society. Proper management, maintenance, and manipulation of this information is often essential to a business's bottom line. As Raghu Ramakrishnan notes, "the value of data as an organizational asset is widely recognized" (p. 4). As such, a number of tools are needed in order to manage and simplify the handling of useful information. If this is not accomplished, "data can become a liability, with the cost of acquiring it and managing it far exceeding the value derived from it" (Ramakrishnan, p. 4).

Types of Database Management Systems

There are many different kinds of database management systems. The most popular, however, is the relational database. Each relation is a table made up of rows and columns, with the database composed of one or more relations. This database model allows complex queries to be made relatively easily and is understandable even to novice users. SQL is the standard language for manipulating, creating, and querying data within a relational database (Ramakrishnan). Other databases include intelligence databases, text or multimedia databases, reference databases, and knowledge databases. Databases often exist as combinations of several types (Mattila).

Database Security Threats and Encryption

Security is an especially important concern for databases that are networked within an organization. Access through a company intranet — or potential access through the Internet — can compromise important data. This data can include customer information, transaction records, and financial data about the company itself. Unauthorized access to such data can damage a company's image, potentially create havoc with company finances, and result in the breach of sensitive information belonging either to the company itself or to its customer base (RSA Security, Inc.).

Breach of database security can cause great damage to customer relationships and the credibility of a company. A breach can result in either the loss of information or the release of information to unknown parties. The loss of personal information such as "financial records, healthcare histories, order histories, credit card and Social Security numbers" (RSA Security, Inc.) is deeply disturbing to consumers. This is a real risk, as attacks on databases are rising (RSA Security, Inc.).

There are a number of security measures that can be taken to protect information stored in a company database. Encryption of data — whether as it moves across the network or while it is in storage — is crucial to maintaining database security. Strong user identification and access control, as well as event logging and security auditing, are also important protective measures (RSA Security, Inc.).

Conclusion

The functions of database management are increasingly important in light of today's pressing need to manage large amounts of information across the business environment, government, academia, and other institutions. Security, concurrency, and control are crucial factors in maintaining the health and integrity of a DBMS within any organization. The person largely responsible for the DBMS is the database administrator, who must often shoulder much of the responsibility for managing enormous amounts of information, maintaining security, and controlling access to the system. As the amount of information in our society continues to expand at a rapid and seemingly exponential rate, the functions of database management will continue to become increasingly crucial to diverse organizations throughout the world.

References

Mattila, Sakari. 1999. Duties of the Database Administrator. Accessed 16 August 2004.

Ramakrishnan, R., and Gehrke, J. 2002. Database Management Systems, 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill Science.

RSA Security, Inc. 2002. White Paper: Securing Data at Rest — Developing a Database Encryption Strategy. Accessed 16 August 2004.