Summary

In this lesson the significance of the data management based on database systems and the role of a database system within a geoinformation system (GIS) was explained. At the beginning, terms like database system and geoinformation system were defined and the terms data and information positioned in context.

Following important reasons for the use of database systems for the management of data in general and geodata in particular were given and illustrated with example applications of different fields of use. Included in the significant characteristics of the database approach are concurrent use as well as structured and described data. Additionally the advantages of the separation of data and applications and the features for high reliablitiy and data security like the concepts of transactions and data views were discussed.