What is a Database?

A database is a collection of information or data organized and presented to serve a specific purpose. A computerized database is an updated, organized file of machine readable information that is rapidly searched and retrieved by computer. Data are binary computer representations of stored entities. Data can exist in many forms. Data can be defined in many ways. Information science defines data as unprocessed information. Data is converted into information, and information is converted into knowledge. For the purposes of Enterprise, data is a small unit of information, i.e. a learner’s name or an exam mark.