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What are database Users?
Any person who uses the database and takes benefits from the database is considered a Database User. There are so many users who interact with the database. These users involve in using the database according to their requirements and uses. They can be programmers, scientists, engineers, business person or can be an employee.
The user may perform various database operations, such as inserting, retrieving, updating, and deleting data, creating tables, and managing user access. There can be different types of users in a database, such as administrators, developers, end-users, and guest users, each with different levels of privileges and permissions.
Types of Database Users
Database Administrator (DBA)
DBA is the database administrator, who controls and manages the database system. It can be a single person or a team (group of persons), which is responsible for managing the database management system.
It is like a superuser of the system, responsible for everything that is related to the database means every person who will access the database first has to permission from the DBA. This includes tasks such as ensuring data integrity and security, optimizing database performance, and backing up and restoring the database.
DBA has full control of the data stored in the database and also full control of those application programs which will access the database. DBA has all the privileges of the DBMS, he also can assign or remove the privileges from the other database users.
DBA is the leader of the database and is responsible to execute different set of activities that helps in managing the database. It is responsible for the administration of all three levels of the database.
DBA is responsible for:
- Deciding the Instances for the Database.
- Deciding the Storage Structure and Access Strategy.
- Defining the Schema.
- Working with Developers.
- Granting of Authorization for data access.
- Managing Database Users and Security.
- Training and Support Users.
- Routine Maintenance.
- New Software Installation.
- Monitoring the database server’s health and Tuning accordingly.
Database Designers
Database designers design the appropriate structure for the database, where we share data. They are a specialized type of database user responsible for creating the conceptual and logical design of a database. They work closely with the database administrator and application developers to ensure the database is optimized for its intended use.
The role of a database designer includes tasks such as defining the data requirements for a database, creating entity-relationship diagrams (ERDs), and determining the optimal data structures for the database. The designer must have a deep understanding of database design principles and data modeling, as well as the specific database management system being used.
Database designers are critical to the success of a database project because they are responsible for creating a robust and flexible database design that meets the needs of the organization. They must be able to translate business requirements into a technical design that is scalable, efficient, and secure.
In summary, database designers are a key player in the development and maintenance of a database. They work closely with other database users, such as administrators and developers, to ensure the database is optimized for its intended use and meets the needs of the organization.
System Analyst
The role of a system analyst in a database environment is to analyze and improve the systems and processes involved in the management of the database. They work closely with other database users, such as database administrators, developers, and end-users, to understand their requirements and needs.
System analysts keep up-to-date with the latest database technologies and recommend new solutions that could improve the performance and efficiency of the database. They help to resolve issues that arise with the database, such as performance problems or data integrity issues.
Application Developer
Application programmers are computer professionals, who write application programs. They are developers who interact with the database through DML queries. They are the programmers and develop application programs such as C, C++, Java, PHP, Python, etc. They develop application programs and provide a user interface through applications so the other user can interact with the database. They also specify what modifications are needed to the database structure for an application and relay it to the database administrator.
They need to have a good understanding of database design, SQL, and the database management system being used. Developers may be granted only the privileges necessary to perform their work and may not have full administrative access to the database.
Naïve Users / Parametric Users
Naïve Users are Unsophisticated users, who have no knowledge of the database. These users are like a layman, which has a little bit of knowledge of the database. They are the end-users of the database who work through the menu-driven applications.
This type of user does not need to be aware of the presence of the database system. They interact with the database only with the help of the application interface. They are just accessing the application whatever they are using.
Naive Users are just to work on developed applications and get the desired result.
For Example: Railway’s ticket booking users are naive users. Or Clerical staff in any bank is a naïve user because they don’t have any DBMS knowledge but they still use the database and perform their given task.
Sophisticated Users
Sophisticated users can be engineers, scientists, business analysts. These types of users normally do not use the application programs to access the database. They have their own way of accessing the database. They can directly interact with the database by using SQL queries select/insert/delete/update data.
Sophisticated users in a database environment are individuals who have advanced skills and knowledge of the database management system being used. They typically have a deep understanding of database design principles, data modeling, and SQL (Structured Query Language), and are able to write complex queries and scripts to extract and manipulate data.
Sophisticated users are able to write complex queries and scripts to extract data from the database and perform data analysis to support business decisions.
End-user
End-users are individuals who use the database through an application or directly through the database management system. They may have limited privileges, such as read-only access or the ability to update only certain fields in a table.
Guest user
A guest user is a user who has limited access to the database, typically for read-only purposes. This type of user may be used by external organizations or individuals who need access to a subset of the data in the database.
Casual Users / Temporary Users
These types of users communicate with the database for a little period of time.
“In conclusion, each type of database user typically has different levels of privileges and permissions to perform various database operations. The specific roles and permissions of database users can vary depending on the needs of the organization and the specific database management system being used.”
You should also read: Data & Database, DBMS, Database Users, ER Model, DBMS Keys
Different Types of Database Users
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the meaning of database?
Database is a shared collection of logically related data, where data is stored in a systematic manner to meet the requirements of different users and serve some specific purpose.
For example: A college database is maintained where all the information about students, teachers, staff, books, etc. So we can use that information later to solve its purpose.
What do you mean by DBMS?
Database Management System is a collection of application programs, which allows its users to define, create, maintain, and control access to the database. It also helps store, modify, and extract data from a database as per the user’s requirements.
Some DBMS examples are: Oracle, MySQL, IBM DB2, Sybase, etc.
Explain some advantages of DBMS?
• It provides data abstractions means it abstract the data from the users, which is not useful for the users.
• It controls data redundancy.
• It also minimized data inconsistency.
• We can easily manipulate data like- insertion, modification, or deletion.
• Data can also be shared by multiple applications.
• It also provides data security, where the data can only be access by authorized users of the organization.
• It also supports the multi-users view, many users can view and access the database at the same time.
Explain some disadvantages of DBMS?
• To run the DBMS, we need a costly high-speed processor and also a large memory size.
• If we are using the first time database system, then we have to convert our old file-based system into the database system, which is a difficult and time-consuming process.
• DBMS cannot be handled by any normal person, they are often complex systems, so the initial training is required and an organization paid plenty of amount for the training of workers.
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