INF 2603
Assignment 1
2023
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, Questions to Assignment 01 TOTAL MARKS: 100
Due date Tutorial matter covered in the prescribed book
21 September All chapters in the syllabus
2023
Unique number: 248008
QUESTION 1 [10 marks]
a. Briefly describe the main components of the DBMS environment and discuss how they
relate to each other. (10)
DBMS have several components, each performing very significant tasks in the database management
system environment. Below is a list of components within the database and its environment.
Software
This is the set of programs used to control and manage the overall database. This includes the DBMS
software itself, the Operating System, the network software being used to share the data among users, and
the application programs used to access data in the DBMS.
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, Hardware
Consists of a set of physical electronic devices such as computers, I/O devices, storage devices, etc., this
provides the interface between computers and the real world systems.
Data
DBMS exists to collect, store, process and access data, the most important component. The database
contains both the actual or operational data and the metadata.
Procedures
These are the instructions and rules that assist on how to use the DBMS, and in designing and running the
database, using documented procedures, to guide the users that operate and manage it.
DatabaseAccessLanguage
This is used to access the data to and from the database, to enter new data, update existing data, or retrieve
required data from databases. The user writes a set of appropriate commands in a database access language,
submits these to the DBMS, which then processes the data and generates and displays a set of results into a
user readable form.
Query Processor
This transforms the user queries into a series of low level instructions. This reads the online user’s query and
translates it into an efficient series of operations in a form capable of being sent to the run time data manager
for execution.
RunTimeDatabaseManager
Sometimes referred to as the database control system, this is the central software component of the DBMS
that interfaces with user-submitted application programs and queries, and handles database access at run
time. Its function is to convert operations in user’s queries. It provides control to maintain the consistency,
integrity and security of the data.
DataManager
Also called the cache manger, this is responsible for handling of data in the database, providing a recovery
to the system that allows it to recover the data after a failure.
DatabaseEngine
The core service for storing, processing, and securing data, this provides controlled access and rapid
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