If you are using a traditional database management system (dbms), it will have an SQL server component and an application. A good example of an SQL server is Oracle. The DMS database management software provides the functionality required by the users.
You can build a DMS using different tools. A tool is a set of scripts or programs used to construct an application from an existing DMS or from scratch. It may be a ready-made version of the DMS. A prebuilt version has many benefits over the custom-made version. These include easy installation, less programming effort, more robust and tested code, etc.
Prebuilt tools are made of the SQL server, a few other programming libraries related to database management, and a user interface that allows user control over the DMS. A ready-made tool may come with preinstalled functions. Some examples are Microsoft Access, Lotus Notes, Microsoft SQL Server, Access, Sybase, IBM Lotus Domino, etc. Other types of prebuilt tools are available.
The prebuilt tools allow users to build the DMS from the scratch and build it into a ready-made DMS with their own database. The advantage of using these tools is that users do not need to learn database design or programming languages or build the database from scratch.
There are several disadvantages of using prebuilt tools for building a DMS. One is the lack of experience with the particular type of database management software. When you use an SQL server to build your database management system, you cannot create it and run it without a proper knowledge of the SQL server programming language. This is another disadvantage of the ready-made tool. The prebuilt tool has a preinstalled database but you still have to learn the SQL server programming or database design language to use it properly.
The third disadvantage of the ready-made database management tools is that they may be not suitable for your type of database management system. Since you are not programming it, you are not able to modify the features of your database to suit your specific needs. A prebuilt tool can be upgraded easily, but this cannot be done with the custom-made tools.
The fourth disadvantage is that the tools are very complex and need lots of training and guidance to create the most suitable DMS for your needs. A ready-made tool can cost a lot of money. The prebuilt tool can be costly and therefore it might not fit your budget. The prebuilt tools can only be customized to meet your needs.
A custom-made DMS is easy to customize. The custom-made tool does not require you to buy the whole tool. It is possible to purchase the parts that you need and build the whole tool in the form of a DMS. The parts that you need may include and customize the features of your database or the database.
Custom-made tools can be used for database management systems that have complex designs. Some systems that are very complex can be custom-built and even more complicated with the help of a custom-made tool.
You can learn the software program used for custom-made tools by attending the online training course available for the software. This will save you time and money.
The benefits and disadvantages of custom-made tools and ready-made tools may not be the same with all database management systems. Before you decide on a specific DMS, you must research the type of system you want to buy, know the pros and cons of each type, compare the various systems, make a plan to find the one that is best suited to your needs and use a ready-made tool to construct your custom-made database management system.
