What is a database?
A database is a piece of software that is installed on a server or PC. Each database has one or more interfaces. A database user (or application) must first log in to the database system. The data is stored there in a structured form in tables. A data record in a database table consists of various 1-n data fields. The individual fields can have different data types. Access to the individual tables is managed by a database management system (rights management for the user). Physically, the data is stored in a collection of files.
Relational databases
The relationships between the individual fields in the tables form a specific structure (a database model). The entire database can therefore be linked together. This is done using indexes and IDs between the individual fields in the data models. The database system software handles the data administration and management of the tables and their relationships. The data from different tables thus form a data model. With data indexing, even large amounts of data can be accessed very quickly using SQL queries.
The database language
Text-based SQL queries have become the standard language. Queries can be very complex and can be structured between different relational tables. The amount of data returned can also contain several million records. The individual records are retrieved using a cursor. The server system of a database should have as much memory available as possible.
What databases are available?
Currently, the following databases have become established (dbms):
- Oracle
- MS-SQL
- MariaDB (MySQL)
- MS Access
- DB/2 (currently very rare)
There are certainly still a number of databases that are very specific or no longer play a role. Data security is a top priority.
Conclusion
The databases manage the data volumes and serve as data containers. Databases are very important in logistics. They are used for customer registration, order entry, picking, and shipping or production. The data objects are managed by the relational database system.
All LUCA systems, such as Pick-by-Light, Voice Picking, Pick-by-Point, etc., use the databases. For more general information on picking in logistics, see the article Picking Systems.
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