How do the database software tools help companies exploit their data resources?

Answer

First, a database needs an Operating System.  Unix, usually for Oracle database.   Once the OS is in place, you can create your database.  A database has a system catalog, which keep track of your table structures, data, updates.  There are objects in a database.  Tables (contain data), views (virtual tables), triggers (rules on how to insert into tables), programs, etc.    The data is contained in the tables.   Tables have columns.   The data is stored in these columns.  Here's what a table's structure looks like:

-- Definition of table \.$D013.VSS.STYLE                              
-- Definition current at 19:30:43 - 06/01/07                                   
                                                                               
  (                                                                            
    PARTITION_NBR                  SMALLINT NO DEFAULT NOT NULL                
  , STYLE_NBR                      INT NO DEFAULT NOT NULL                     
  , CLASS_NBR                      SMALLINT NO DEFAULT NOT NULL                
  , DEPT_NBR                       SMALLINT NO DEFAULT NOT NULL                
  , DIVISION_NBR                   SMALLINT NO DEFAULT NOT NULL                
  , DISPLAY_STYLE                  INT NO DEFAULT NOT NULL                     
  , STYLE_DESC                     CHAR(28) NO DEFAULT NOT NULL                
  )                                                                            
>>    

You can find out how many rows are in this table:   (56,523)

>>select count(*) from $d013.vss.style;                                    
                                                                               
(EXPR)                                                                         

---

                                                           
                                                                               
               56523                                                           
                                                                               
--- 1 row(s) selected.                                                         
>>                         

Here's what one row in the table looks like:

 >>select * from $d013.vss.style                                            
+>where style_desc like "%LACE CAMI%";                                         
                                                                               
PARTITION_NBR  STYLE_NBR    CLASS_NBR  DEPT_NBR  DIVISION_NBR  DISPLAY_STYLE   

---

  -----------  ---------  --------  ------------  -------------   
STYLE_DESC                                                                     

---

                                                   
                                                                               
            1       632010         63         2            20         632010   
75.BEADED LACE CAMI/TAP                                                                                     

First answer by Ppyles. Last edit by Ppyles. Contributor trust: 125 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 32 [recommend question]