Other Parts of This Series:
Database Introduction (Photo Credit: LinkedIn Image)
Story:
Our world was not similar to what it is today. Once, people’s lives were fully manual, and there was no automated concept. People then retain any information or data in their minds. People then learn how to write and continue writing data on paper. With many changes and evaluations, now people use electronic devices, software, and even cloud services to keep their data stored. So in this series, let’s start a journey to this digital data store world…
What is Data?
Data: refers to raw facts or figures that have no context or meaning on their own. It could be anything, numbers, text, images, or symbols, that can be collected, stored, and processed.
Example of Data:
- A list of random numbers: 12, 45, 89.
- Names: Babu, Baby.
- Random text: “dog”, “tree”.
What is Record?
Record: is a meaningful collection of related data grouped together to describe a specific object, person, or event. Records are often structured, providing context to the data.
Example of a Record:
- A student’s information is like: Name: Babu, Age: 12, Grade: 7th.
Here, Name, Age, and Grade are fields (or attributes), and the entire Babu’s details is a record.
What is Information?
Information: is data that has been processed, organized, and presented in a meaningful context. It answers questions like who, what, where, when, and how and is useful for decision-making.
Example of Information:
- Raw Data: Babu, 12, Basketball
- Information: “Babu, a 12-year-old, enjoys playing basketball.”
Here, the raw data is structured and interpreted to give it meaning.
In Single line:
- Data: Raw facts without context. (e.g., Babu, 12, Basketball)
- Records: Organized collections of data. (e.g., a table row with Babu’s details)
- Information: Processed and meaningful insights. (e.g., “Babu plays basketball at age 12.”)
Historic Evaluation of Data Store:
- Early Early History: Retain in Mind
Mediums: Human mind.
Characteristics: Data was rare to detect. Store in person’s mind. When he/she share only then create a replica of that data.
- Early History: Physical Record-Keeping
Mediums: Clay tablets, papyrus, parchment, stone carvings.
Characteristics: Data was manually recorded. Physical durability was prioritized. Extremely limited storage capacity.
- Analog Data Storage
Mediums: Punch cards, phonographs, and magnetic tape.
Key Innovations: Punch Cards, Phonographs
Characteristics: Low data density. Easily damaged or degraded.
- Magnetic Storage Revolution
Mediums: Magnetic tape, hard disks, and floppy disks.
Key Innovations: Magnetic Tape, Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), IBM 305 RAMAC, Floppy Disks
Characteristics: Faster access compared to punch cards. Data density improved but was still limited.
- Optical Storage and Early Digital Era
Mediums: CDs, DVDs, and flash drives.
Key Innovations: Compact Discs (CDs), Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs), Flash Memory
Characteristics: High durability and portability. Shift from analog to digital storage.
- Networked and Cloud Storage
Mediums: Cloud storage, SSDs, and distributed databases.
Key Innovations: Cloud Storage, Solid-State Drives (SSDs), Big Data and Distributed Systems
Characteristics: Data is accessible from anywhere. Redundancy and scalability are integral features. Reduced reliance on physical devices.
- The Era of Specialized Data Storage
Mediums: Quantum storage, DNA storage, and blockchain.
Key Innovations: DNA Data Storage, Quantum Storage, Blockchain
Characteristics: Ultra-dense storage solutions. Focus on energy efficiency and long-term preservation.
What is Database?
According to Wikipedia:
A database is an organized collection of data or a type of data store based on the use of a database management system (DBMS).
So simply, a database is a structured collection of data that is stored, managed, and retrieved electronically. The main goal of a database is to organize data in such a way that it can be easily accessed, managed, and updated.
Example:
Imagine a library catalog system:
- The catalog stores information about books (e.g., title, author, genre, and availability).
- This information is organized into a database so that users can quickly search for books by title, author, or genre.
Summary:
Data represents raw facts or figures, while records are structured collections of related data, such as rows in a table. When processed and given context, data becomes information, providing meaningful insights for decision-making.
Historically, data storage has evolved from physical mediums like clay tablets and punch cards to advanced digital systems like cloud storage and DNA encoding. Databases, essential for managing data electronically. This journey reflects humanity’s growing need to collect, organize, and utilize data effectively over time.
In the next part, we will discuss about the database, database management system and different types of database in details, insha Allah.