A good data management system (DMS) will normalize the data
that is input in your system, create a sole repository for all type of data,
govern both the current processes and the generation of the novel data, and
most importantly, manage the changes that these methods will bring about in the
staff.
Purpose of DMS
Systems
Businesses have large amounts of data. A DMS is software
tool that makes it possible for the organizations to organize their data.
The standard abbreviation for database management system is
DMS, so you will see this more often than the full name. The main purpose of a
database management system is to transform and store data into information to
make supporting decisions.
A DMS consists of the following main three elements:
The database engine: software
that allows to access and modify the content of the database.
Physical database: the
collection of the files that contain data.
The database scheme: specification
of the logical structure of data stored in the database.
When it sounds rational to have
DMS system in place, it is better to think for a moment about the
alternative.
What would all that data in the organization look like
without
DMS solutions? Think
yourself as the organization for a moment, all the files on your computer and
data. Do you feel it is organized? If you are like normal computer users, you
have a lot of files, organized in folders.
You may have presentation files, word documents,
spreadsheets, photographs, etc. You find the information that you require based
on the folder structure and the name of the file that you have kept. This is
called file system and it is typical for individual computer users.
Now think of the challenges that you will come across. Have
you ever deleted or lost a file? Have you ever experienced the difficulty of
finding a file? Maybe you are using different computers so your files are at
different physical locations. And, the most important question you should ask
yourself? When was the last time you created a backup for all those files? You
do keep backup, right.
So now you probably get the picture. A file system is a
simple process, but it works well only if you keep yourself disciplined and
organized. Now think of a corporation with around 1000 employees, each with
their own computer. Can you see these challenges when using a file system? Do
you want your really important financial data roaming around the office on
different computers as a normal file? I guess, No!
Functions Of A DMS
So, what does a DMS really do? It organizes your files and
important data to give you more control over it.
A DMS system makes it possible for the users to edit, create
and update data in database files. Once created, DMS makes it possible to
retrieve and store data from those database files.
More specifically, a DMS offers the following
functionalities:
- Security: it has proper security rules to
determine access rights of the users.
- Integrity: database structure and the secure
laws improve the honesty of the data
- Data Descriptions: A data dictionary offers the
description of the data.
Inside an organization, the database development is normally
controlled by database administrators, (DBAs) and other specialists. This makes
sure that the database structure is reliable and efficient.
Database admins also control the security and access
aspects. For example, different people in the organization use the database in
different ways. Some employees may only want to view the data and do basic
analysis. Other employees maybe actively adding data to the database. This
means the database admin needs to set user permissions.
Pros And Cons Of DMS
There are many benefits of using a DMS system.t might take
some time in setting up these methods, but once in location, a DMS can make
tasks that are tiring a difficult a thing of past.
A DMS reduces inconsistency and redundancy. Have you ever
had same versions of one file on your computer? The same thing happens in
businesses, a good DMS will lessen redundancy.
A DMS allows different users to access the same file at the
same time, each with their own role. Some users only have access to view the
data, while some can contribute to it, while others can design or manage it –
all at the same time.
A DMS increase reliability and security. Database admins are
accountable for controlling access, creating backups of database and making
sure that it works in the same way as it is supposed to.
Having one or more
specialist work on these tasks is a lot more effective than having every computer
user in the organisation worry about the security of their data. A DMS improves
the data quality and it is also easy to check any mistakes when entering the
data.