I. Introduction
“Everything has changed, except our way of thinking.” - Albert Einstein
Data are a vital organizational resource that needs to be managed like other important business assets. Today’s business enterprises cannot survive or succeed without quality data about their internal operations and external environment. This growth drives corporations to analyze every bit of information that is extracted from huge data warehouses for competitive advantage. This has turned the data storage and management function into a key strategic role of information age.
I. Background
1. Evolution of Data Systems
The demand for information has rise in every organization. Organizations have steadily become global and widespread. Organizations have to contend with fierce competitive pressures. They need vast and complex information to stay in business and make a profit. For the past three decades, people have witnessed a huge, explosive growth in information technology. Processors have become faster, cheaper, and smaller. Operating systems have become powerful and robust. Data storage media have expanded tremendously in capacity; data storage prices have tumbled. Network and communication technology can now connect any remote site without difficulty. Application programming and people-machine interface have dramatically improved.
Figure.1 Technology growth and demand for information
The escalating demand for information and the explosive growth in information technology have worked hand in hand to bring about the evolution to database systems. Ever-increasing demand for information drives the need for better methods of storing and retrieving data, for faster ways of process ...