What is the difference between a database, a DBMS, an RDBMS, and metadata?

Answer 1

A database stores data.... DBMS (Database Managment System) is software that manages databases (ei. SQL, Oracle... ) RDBMS (Relational Database Management System) is a DBMS that is based on the relational model. See wiki for a full detail of the relational model.

Metadata is like cataloging of files. Adding keyword references, content descriptions and title information. This is primarily used for search engine development and web spiders.

Answer 2

A DBMS has to be persistent, that is it should be accessible when the program created the data ceases to exist or even the application that created the data restarted. A DBMS also has to provide some uniform methods independent of a specific application for accessing the information that is stored. RDBMS is a Relational Data Base Management System Relational DBMS. This adds the additional condition that the system supports a tabular structure for the data, with enforced relationships between the tables. This excludes the databases that don't support a tabular structure or don't enforce relationships between tables. Many DBA's think that RDBMS is a Client Server Database system but thats not the case with RDBMS. Yes you can say DBMS does not impose any constraints or security with regard to data manipulation it is user or the programmer responsibility to ensure the ACID PROPERTY of the database whereas the rdbms is more with this regard bcz rdbms define the integrity constraint for the purpose of holding ACID PROPERTY.

Answer 3

A database management system (DBMS) is computer software designed for the purpose of managing databases. Typical examples of DBMSs include Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, and FileMaker. DBMSs are typically used by Database administrators in the creation of Database systems.

A relational database management system (RDBMS) is a database management system (DBMS) that is based on the relational model as introduced by Edgar F. Codd. Relational databases are the most common kind of database in use today (assuming one does not count a file system as a database)

Metadata has multiple definitions, but it can generally be known as data used to supplement information to main data. For example, metadata produced by digital still cameras describe the settings used for the picture, such as exposure value or flash intensity. In such cases, the metadata can be considered as extra data, which merely add information, and is not critical to the functions of the main data. In other cases, such as on a Zip disk, metadata provides information regarding the write-protected status of the disk. In such a case, then, metadata can be considered essential to the proper functioning of the main product.