Database Management System(DBMS) | Examples And Their Pros and Cons

Thushara Samaraweera
5 min readSep 26, 2020

A database is an organized collection of data, generally stored and accessed electronically from a computer system. Data is a very important thing in the world right now. So we need something which can easily be managed data. So we use the Database management system for that task.

Database management system ( DBMS) is basically used to manage the database. And also the data can be easily accessed, modified, updated, controlled, and organized. The DBMS software additionally encompasses the core facilities provided to administer the database. The sum total of the database, the DBMS and the associated applications can be referred to as a “database system”.

Some examples of popular database software or DBMSs include MySQL, Microsoft Access, Oracle Database and Microsoft SQL. We will talk these DBMSs as well as their pros and cons.

1. MySQL

MySQL is an open-source ( Open source means that you’re free to use and modify it. ) relational database management system (RDBMS) with a client-server model. let’s talk briefly about what is client-server. Computers that install and run RDBMS software are called clients. Whenever they need to access data, they connect to the RDBMS server. That’s the “client-server” part.

An image of MySQL DBMS

Pros of MySQL :

We can install it freely. With a basic set of tools for individual use, MySQL community edition is a good option, to begin with. Of course, there are other, prepaid options for Enterprise or Cluster purposes with richer functionality. If your company is too small, My thought is that free option is enough to start your fresh start.

MySQL is Simple syntax and it is mild complexity. MySQL’s structure and style are very plain. Developers even consider MySQL a database with a human-like language.

Cons of MySQL :

One of the cons is that MySQL was not built with scalability in mind, which is inherent in its code. In theory, you can scale MySQL, but it will need more engineering effort as compared to any of the NoSQL databases. So, if you expect that one day your database will increase substantially, keep this limitation in mind or choose another DBMS option.

2. Microsoft Access

Microsoft Access is a Database Management System (DBMS) from Microsoft that combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user interface and software-development tools. It is a member of the Microsoft Office suite of applications, included in the professional and higher editions.

An image of MS Access DBMS

Pros of MS Access :

The pros of MS Access are that Access offers a fully functional, relational database management system in minutes, Easy to import data from multiple sources into Access and You can easily customize Access according to personal and company needs.

It allows you to create tables, queries, forms, and reports, and connect with the help of Macros ( Macros in Access is a simple programming construct with which you can use to add functionality to your database )

Cons of MS Access :

The cons of MS Access are that it is useful for small to medium business sectors. However, it is not useful for large-sized organizations, Lacks robustness compared to DBMS systems like MS SQL Server or Oracle and all the information from your database is saved into one file. Hence reports, queries, and forms can be slowed down.

3. Oracle

Oracle is a relational database management system created and run by the Oracle Corporation. Currently, it supports multiple data models like document, relational and key-value within the single database. The system is built around a relational database framework in which data objects may be directly accessed by users.

An image of Oracle DBMS

Pros of Oracle :

Oracle gave us many things to reduce our daily workflow by the latest version. Some of them are that with Oracle 12c as hybrid cloud software, innovative cloud computing technologies show up daily. At the same time, it keeps focusing on information security. Besides active data guard, improved backup, and recovery.

Meanwhile, Oracle’s multi-model solution allows for accommodating and processing a vast amount of data. Thanks to the recently released multi-tenancy feature.

In combination with in-memory data processing capabilities, it creates a strong engine for synchronous data processing.

Cons of Oracle :

Though Oracle 12c RDBMS has free editions, they are very limited in terms of functionality. we can get this as an example, what standard Edition which does not include all available features, costs $17,500 per unit. The Enterprise Edition is over $47,000 per unit.

Oracle database is not a system to start using right away. It’s better to have certified Oracle DB engineers to run it. If you think to get oracle DB, you’ll have to consider hiring dedicated experts.

4. MS SQL ( Microsoft SQL )

As a completely commercial tool, Microsoft SQL Server is one of the most popular relational Database management systems, in addition to MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Oracle. It copes well with effective storing and managing relational data. To interact with SQL Server databases.

An image of Microsoft SQL DBMS

Pros of Microsoft SQL :

Microsoft SQL Server provides a wide choice of different options with diverse functionalities. For instance, the Express edition with a free database offers entry-level tooling, For bigger projects, there are also Web, Standard, and Enterprise editions, with a varying extent of administrative capabilities and service levels.

MSSQL gives us many end-to-end business data solutions. With a focus on mostly commercial solutions, MSSQL provides a lot of business value-added features.

Cons of Microsoft SQL :

But Being mostly used at enterprise scale, MSSQL Server remains one of the most expensive solutions. As an example, Enterprise edition currently costs over $14,000 per core.

The ever-changing licensing process. The pricing strategy itself is hard to understand and the elements included in a particular edition are floating, tending to shift from one to another.

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