Data Management

The Evolution of Data Management Technology

from Traditional File to Data Warehouse

Traditional file-based system is the first and the oldest database system that attempt to computerize the manual filing system. For example, in an organization, a manual file is set up to record all internal and external information include, employee, product, project and customer. File-based system consists of many file with name label and keep in different location. These manual filings works well but also have some problem include data redundancy, lack of data integration, data dependence and lack of data integrity or standardization. Data redundancy is duplicated data. Below is an example of file-based system.

To become more effective, a new system has been created, database and database management system (DBMS). A database is an integrated collection of logically related data elements. It strengthens the records that stored earlier in separate files into common collection of data elements that provides data for many applications. The database is a large storehouse of data which can be used and shared at the same time by many departments and users. Instead of occurring redundant file, all data items are integrated with lower percentage of duplication.

Data management system is use to process and organize large amount of data and it is also and important part of computer system which also serves as software interface between users and database. Data management also knows as software that enables users to define, create, maintain, and control access to the database. Below is an example of data management system.

There are four types of databases which is operational databases, distributed data, external databases and hypermedia databases. These databases will be the static data that stored in the data warehouse and the data of the data warehouse is used for data mining, analytical processing, analysis, research, and decision support.

Information System Software

The comparison between general application software and function-specific application software

Application software is a software designed to help us accomplish work and tasks on the computer. There are two primary forms application software for business which are custom software and COTs software. Custom software is a software application that developed within an organization for use and owned by that organization. Commercial Off-the-shelf (COTs) is a software developed with the intention of selling the software in multiple copies.

General purpose application software is a program that perform common information processing jobs for end users. Its also call productivity packages. For example, word processing and spreadsheet. The most widely used productivity packages are bundled together as software suites. The advantage is the cost less than buying individual packages. All have similar GUI, thus can work well together. Other advantages are many functions with lower price, uses less disk space and frequently pre-installed on microcomputers. The disadvantages are all features not used and take a lot of disk space. Integrated packages combine the functions of several programs into one package such as Microsoft Works and AppleWorks. On the other hand, it is limited functionality. Function-Specific Application Software is thousands of these packages support specific applications of end users. Examples are customer relationship management, supply chain management and Web-enabled electronic commerce.

General purpose application software packages are generally tools that provide specific capabilities, but not in support of a apecific purpose. For example, a spreadsheet program is a general purpose application. It does spreadsheets, but those could be spreadsheets that you use to balance your checkbook, or manage your fantasy football league while special purpose application software is more limited in what it will do, but it usually goes that one thing much better than a general purpose program. For example, Turbo Tax (a tab preparation package)is a special purpose application.Sure, it adds and subtracts numberes like a spreadsheet, but you can't use it to track your fantasy football league.It does one thing-prepare tax returns.

The evolution of computer systems : from mainframe computer systems to microcomputer systems.

Mainframes- system are large and "expensive" computers used mainly by government institutions and large companies for mission critical applications, or have the ability to run (or host) multiple operating systems, and thereby operate not as a single computer but as a number of virtual machine.for exmple, mainframe can process thousands of million instructions per second (MIPS). typically bulk data processing such as censuses, industry/consumer statistics, ERP, and financial transaction processing.Mainframes are large & high power computers which is used in large organizations, or companies for mission crucial applications like censuses or even in weather forecast.
Over the years they have evolved from hall-sized dinosaurs to fully IP-networked machines that are extremely competitive and cost effective platform for e-commerce and hosting. According to a year 2002 estimate "70 % of the world's data is on the mainframes, and 85 % of all business transition are still processed on mainframes, but mainframe have slimmed down drastically in the few years, dramatically reducing their acquisition and operating costs.


The term "Microcomputer" came into popular use after the introduction of the minicomputer, although Isaac Asimov used the term microcomputer in his short story "The Dying Night" as early as 1956 (published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in July that year). Most notably, the microcomputer replaced the many separate components that made up the minicomputer's CPU with a single integrated microprocessor chip.Microcomputers are the most important category of computer system for both business and consumers.through usually called a personal computer, PC for use by an individual.A microcomputer contains a center processing unit (CPU) on a microchip (the microprocessor), a memory system (typically read only memory and random access memory ), a bus system and I/O ports, typically housed in a motherboard. They are more powerful microcomputers that coordinate telecommunications and resource sharing in small local are networks ( LANs) and in internet and intranet website.