In computing, a database is an organized collection of data that is stored and accessed electronically in a computer system. A cloud database is a database service specifically built for and accessed through a cloud platform.
Any type of data can be stored, maintained and accessed using a database. Healthcare organizations, for example, store vast amounts of patient information which can be readily accessed by doctors and other healthcare professionals. Even online streaming services such as Netflix use databases to store and analyze information about their services and their users.
Databases are vital for any organization that needs to store and access data readily and securely. A database is capable of storing and managing vast amounts of data on a daily basis, with secure login controls preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information records. A cloud database means data can be accessed from almost anywhere, also enabling database owners to scale capacity when needed.
Almost all relational databases employ the programming language SQL to query, manage and define data as well as to provide access control. The SQL ANSI standard was first developed at IBM in the 1970s. Since then, SQL has inspired numerous expansions from businesses including IBM, Oracle and Microsoft. Despite the continued popularity of SQL, new programming languages are starting to emerge.
