DBMS Architecture

In such systems all the required components like – the interface, Middleware, and back-end data, all on one server or platform.

Most of the developers choose such systems as it’s easy and simple. But, it doesn’t provide many tools for the end-users. Thus, it is not suitable for data delivery platforms like websites globally but, may be useful for storing large data.

This is the most widely used architecture these days and all the tiers are separated from one another. The following are the tiers –

Database Tier – The raw data is present at this tier along with its DBMS system language and its queries that allow different operation on the DB. Example – All the database of PrepInsta website’s user resides on this tier

Application Tier – This acts as an intermediary between the database tier and the user. The code level program that can access the database for various operation sits here. For example – if one wants to write a code for updating email ID in the database. In this case the user is not interacting with the DB directly. But, is interacting with application tier, which does its code level processing and then interacts with the database.

Presentation Tier – This also known as user tier. Here the user is able to view all the database results. Best for his viewable format, like – if user is accessing its profile page. All the details were sent from DB to application tier and then sent to presentation tier which then displays the same in a view so that user can understand and read it. HTML/CSS is also used to modify how this data looks to the end user.

The two-tier architecture is similar to the basic Foundation model i.e client-server model

In such systems, the communication is between the client and server. The client is where the data needs to be delivered to and the server is where data is stored, updated and processed and communication between the two happens.

The application tier is there to provide communication between the two and is independent in terms of the code level logic happening at server or client.

DBMS architecture plays a key role in the design, development, implementation, and maintenance of the database management system of the company

The proper selection of database architecture will solve many design problems initially and also helps in quick and secured data access

Any database management system uses any of the following to 2 architectures

• 2 tier architecture (two-level)
• 3 tier architecture (three-level)

It consists of two tiers 1. Client-side application:

• User interfaces and application programs run generally on the client-side
• It is generally a presentation layer that runs on a client (PC, Mobile, Tablet, etc)
• This client application establishes a connection by sending a request to the server-side up an application in order to establish communication between the database

2. Server side application

• The server side is responsible for query processing and transaction management
• In this, client-side directly communicates with the database base that is present on the server-side and the server sends a response to the request received from the client
• Simply server-side represented data is stored on a Server.
• Generally, APIS like ODBC, JDBC is used for this interaction i.e for sending requests from the client-side application.

• Desktop applications excel sheets, word document, desktop games
• The contact management system that is created using MS Access is the most observed example is for this two-tier architecture.

Advantages of two-tier architecture

• As it is simple and easily understandable provides direct and faster communication
• Compatible with existing systems
• Provides some secretary to the DBMS as it is not directly e exposed to the end-user range.

It cannot be used for dynamic web applications where there are a large number of users and generally used for static desktop and small web applications.

DBMS architecture plays a key role in the design, development, implementation, and maintenance of the database management system of the company

All the dynamic web application over the internet uses this three-tier architecture.

The proper selection of database architecture will solve many design problems initially and also helps in quick and secured data access

This is the most widely used architecture these days and all the tiers are separated from one another. The following are the tiers –

As the name suggests three tiers consists of three components in addition to the client-side and server-side application of two-tier architecture, it consists application server layer as an intermediate tier between these two

1. Client-side :

It sends a request to the server-side via the application server layer

It is nothing but the presentation layer (your PC, Tablet, Mobile, etc.)

2. Application server :

It is nothing but the presentation layer (your PC, Tablet, Mobile, etc.)

Unlike two-tier architecture, in this requests are not directly sent from the client to the server-side, when a client sends a request first it is transferred to the application server then this application server transfers the request to the server-side, followed by query processing and transaction management

This intermediate layer also acts as a senses medium for the exchange of partially processed data between server and client

3. Server-side:

Nothing but the database of the server-side application

It sends responses to the requests received from the client-side to the application server and the application server, in turn, transfer them to the client-side.

All large dynamic web applications present over the internet or examples of this 3 tier architecture

A large website like prepinsta.com over the internet is the best example, isn’t it??

• Integrity: because of the middle layer between the client and server-side data corruption can be removed
• Security: as there is no direct interaction between client and server we can restrict unauthorized access if any
• To provide a clear separation between the user application and physical database
• Program data independence and multiple views of data
• Because of the above features, a large number of users can access a database easily

There might be complexity in implementation and communication

Sometimes it becomes difficult for interaction due to the presence of middle layers and responses may be delayed but they can be easily overcome by efficient server administration.