Distributed DBMS - Distributed Databases

A distributed database is a collection of multiple interconnected databases, which are

spread physically across various locations that communicate via a computer network.

Features
● Databases in the collection are logically interrelated with each other. Often they
represent a single logical database.
● Data is physically stored across multiple sites. Data in each site can be managed
by a DBMS independent of the other sites.
● The processors in the sites are connected via a network. They do not have any
multiprocessor configuration.
● A distributed database is not a loosely connected file system.
● A distributed database incorporates transaction processing, but it is not
synonymous with a transaction processing system.

Distributed Database Management System

A distributed database management system (DDBMS) is a centralized software system
that manages a distributed database in a manner as if it were all stored in a single
location.

Features
● It is used to create, retrieve, update and delete distributed databases.
● It synchronizes the database periodically and provides access mechanisms by
the virtue of which the distribution becomes transparent to the users.
● It ensures that the data modified at any site is universally updated.
● It is used in application areas where large volumes of data are processed and
accessed by numerous users simultaneously.
● It is designed for heterogeneous database platforms.
● It maintains confidentiality and data integrity of the databases.

Factors Encouraging DDBMS

The following factors encourage moving over to DDBMS −
● Distributed Nature of Organizational Units − Most organizations in the
current times are subdivided into multiple units that are physically
distributed over the globe. Each unit requires its own set of local data.
Thus, the overall database of the organization becomes distributed.
 ● Need for Sharing of Data − The multiple organizational units often
need to communicate with each other and share their data and
resources. This demands common databases or replicated databases that
should be used in a synchronized manner.
● Support for Both OLTP and OLAP − Online Transaction Processing
(OLTP) and Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) work upon diversified
systems which may have common data. Distributed database systems
aid both these processing by providing synchronized data.
● Database Recovery − One of the common techniques used in DDBMS
is replication of data across different sites. Replication of data
automatically helps in data recovery if database in any site is
damaged. Users can access data from other sites while the damaged
site is being reconstructed. Thus, database failure may become almost
inconspicuous to users.
● Support for Multiple Application Software − Most organizations use a
variety of application software each with its specific database support.
DDBMS provides a uniform functionality for using the same data
among different platforms.

Advantages of Distributed Databases

Following are the advantages of distributed databases over centralized databases.
Modular Development − If the system needs to be expanded to new
locations or new units, in centralized database systems, the action requires
substantial efforts and disruption in the existing functioning. However, in
distributed databases, the work simply requires adding new computers and
local data to the new site and finally connecting them to the distributed
system, with no interruption in current functions.
More Reliable − In case of database failures, the total system of centralized
databases comes to a halt. However, in distributed systems, when a
component fails, the functioning of the system continues may be at a
reduced performance. Hence DDBMS is more reliable.
Better Response − If data is distributed in an efficient manner, then user
requests can be met from local data itself, thus providing faster response.
On the other hand, in centralized systems, all queries have to pass through
the central computer for processing, which increases the response time.
Lower Communication Cost − In distributed database systems, if data is
located locally where it is mostly used, then the communication costs for
data manipulation can be minimized. This is not feasible in centralized
systems.

Adversities of Distributed Databases

Following are some of the adversities associated with distributed databases.
● Need for complex and expensive software − DDBMS demands complex
and often expensive software to provide data transparency and co-
ordination across the several sites.
● Processing overhead − Even simple operations may require a large
number of communications and additional calculations to provide
uniformity in data across the sites.
● Data integrity − The need for updating data in multiple sites pose
problems of data integrity.
● Overheads for improper data distribution − Responsiveness of queries
is largely dependent upon proper data distribution. Improper data
distribution often leads to very slow response to user requests.

object-oriented database
An object-oriented database is a collection of object-oriented programming and
relational database. There are various items which are created using object-oriented
programming languages like C++, Java which can be stored in relational databases, but
object-oriented databases are well-suited for those items.
An object-oriented database is organized around objects rather than actions, and data
rather than logic. For example, a multimedia record in a relational database can be a
definable data object, as opposed to an alphanumeric value.

Object-Oriented Database
Object database management systems (ODBMSs) are based on objects in object-
oriented programing (OOP). In OOP, an entity is represented as an object and
objects are stored in memory. Objects have members such as fields, properties, and
methods. Objects also have a life cycle that includes the creation of an object, use
of an object, and deletion of an object. OOP has key characteristics, encapsulation,
inheritance, and polymorphism. Today, there are many popular OOP languages such
as C++, Java, C#, Ruby, Python, JavaScript, and Perl.

Object databases are commonly used in applications that require high performance,
calculations, and faster results. Some of the common applications that use object
databases are real-time systems, architectural & engineering for 3D modeling,
telecommunications, and scientific products, molecular science, and astronomy.

Advantages of Object Databases

ODBMS provide persistent storage to objects. Imagine creating objects in your
program and saving them as it is in a database and reading back from the
database.

In a typical relational database, the program data is stored in rows and columns. To
store and read that data and convert it into program objects in memory requires
reading data, loading data into objects, and storing it in memory. Imagine creating a
class in your program and saving it as it is in a database, reading back and start
using it again.
Object databases bring permanent persistent to objects. Objects can be stored in
persistent storage forever.

In typical RDBMS, there is a layer of object-relational mapping that maps database

schemas with objects in code. Reading and mapping an object database data to the
objects is direct without any API or OR tool. Hence faster data access and better
performance.

Some object database can be used in multiple languages. For example, Gemstone
database supports C++, Smalltalk and Java programming languages.

Drawbacks of Object Databases

 Object databases are not as popular as RDBMS. It is difficult to find object DB
developers.
 Not many programming language support object databases.
 RDBMS have SQL as a standard query language. Object databases do not
have a standard.
 Object databases are difficult to learn for non-programmers.
What Is the Difference Between a Relational Database
and Object-Oriented?
Relational database management systems (RDBMS) work with tables, with each row in
the table representing a record. The columns in a row represent the attributes of an
individual record. Associations between records (“A Company has many Employees. An
Employee belongs to a Company”) are facilitated with foreign keys in one table
referencing IDs in another table. These associations make up the “relational” part of
relational databases.

Data values stored in relational databases are atomic and primitive. By primitive, we
mean that they are types like characters, text strings, numbers, and hashes. Even
though MySQL and SQLite support the JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) data type,
that’s not the same as supporting objects in the sense that OODs do.

Contrast this with the OOD, which typically stores and manages objects directly on the
database server’s disk. There are no tables, no rows, no columns, no foreign keys.
There are only objects.

Associations between objects in an OOD can also be established and persist, which
can lead to powerful and fast querying of data across complex relationships.
. Multimedia Database

Multimedia database is the collection of interrelated multimedia data that

includes text, graphics (sketches, drawings), images, animations, video, audio
etc and have vast amounts of multisource multimedia data. The framework that
manages different types of multimedia data which can be stored, delivered and
utilized in different ways is known as multimedia database management system.
There are three classes of the multimedia database which includes static media,
dynamic media and dimensional media.
Content of Multimedia Database management system :
1. Media data – The actual data representing an object.
2. Media format data – Information such as sampling rate, resolution,
encoding scheme etc. about the format of the media data after it goes
through the acquisition, processing and encoding phase.
3. Media keyword data – Keywords description relating to the generation
of data. It is also known as content descriptive data. Example: date,
time and place of recording.
4. Media feature data – Content dependent data such as the distribution
of colors, kinds of texture and different shapes present in data.

Types of multimedia applications based on data management characteristic are :

1. Repository applications – A Large amount of multimedia data as well

as meta-data(Media format date, Media keyword data, Media feature
data) that is stored for retrieval purpose, e.g., Repository of satellite
images, engineering drawings, radiology scanned pictures.
 2. Presentation applications – They involve delivery of multimedia data
subject to temporal constraint. Optimal viewing or listening requires
DBMS to deliver data at certain rate offering the quality of service
above a certain threshold. Here data is processed as it is delivered.
Example: Annotating of video and audio data, real-time editing analysis.
3. Collaborative work using multimedia information – It involves
executing a complex task by merging drawings, changing notifications.
Example: Intelligent healthcare network.

There are still many challenges to multimedia databases, some of which are :
1. Modelling – Working in this area can improve database versus
information retrieval techniques thus, documents constitute a
specialized area and deserve special consideration.
2. Design – The conceptual, logical and physical design of multimedia
databases has not yet been addressed fully as performance and tuning
issues at each level are far more complex as they consist of a variety of
formats like JPEG, GIF, PNG, MPEG which is not easy to convert from
one form to another.
3. Storage – Storage of multimedia database on any standard disk presents
the problem of representation, compression, mapping to device
hierarchies, archiving and buffering during input-output operation. In
DBMS, a ”BLOB”(Binary Large Object) facility allows untyped bitmaps to
be stored and retrieved.
4. Performance – For an application involving video playback or audio-video
synchronization, physical limitations dominate. The use of parallel
processing may alleviate some problems but such techniques are not yet
 fully developed. Apart from this multimedia database consume a lot of
processing time as well as bandwidth.
5. Queries and retrieval –For multimedia data like images, video, audio
accessing data through query opens up many issues like efficient query
formulation, query execution and optimization which need to be worked
upon.

Areas where multimedia database is applied are :

● Documents and record management : Industries and businesses that
keep detailed records and variety of documents. Example: Insurance
claim record.
● Knowledge dissemination : Multimedia database is a very effective
tool for knowledge dissemination in terms of providing several
resources. Example: Electronic books.
● Education and training : Computer-aided learning materials can be
designed using multimedia sources which are nowadays very popular
sources of learning. Example: Digital libraries.
● Marketing, advertising, retailing, entertainment and travel. Example: a
virtual tour of cities.
● Real-time control and monitoring : Coupled with active database
technology, multimedia presentation of information can be very effective
means for monitoring and controlling complex tasks Example:
Manufacturing operation control.
Mobile Databases
Mobile databases are separate from the main database and can easily be transported
to various places. Even though they are not connected to the main database, they can
still communicate with the database to share and exchange data.
The mobile database includes the following components −

● The main system database that stores all the data and is linked to the mobile
database.
● The mobile database that allows users to view information even while on the
move. It shares information with the main database.
● The device that uses the mobile database to access data. This device can be a
mobile phone, laptop etc.
● A communication link that allows the transfer of data between the mobile
database and the main database.
Advantages of Mobile Databases
Some advantages of mobile databases are −

● The data in a database can be accessed from anywhere using a mobile

database. It provides wireless database access.
● The database systems are synchronized using mobile databases and multiple
users can access the data with a seamless delivery process.
● Mobile databases require very little support and maintenance.
● The mobile database can be synchronized with multiple devices such as mobiles,
computer devices, laptops etc.
Disadvantages of Mobile Databases
Some disadvantages of mobile databases are −

● The mobile data is less secure than data that is stored in a conventional
stationary database. This presents a security hazard.
● The mobile unit that houses a mobile database may frequently lose power
because of limited battery. This should not lead to loss of data in the database