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database management system
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database management system

computing
Also known as: DBMS
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Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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database management system (DBMS), system for quick search and retrieval of information from a database. The DBMS determines how data are stored and retrieved. It must address problems such as security, accuracy, consistency among different records, response time, and memory requirements. These issues are most significant for database systems on computer networks. Relational DBMSs, in which data are organized into a series of tables (“relations”) that are easily reorganized for accessing data in different ways, are the most widely used.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Erik Gregersen.