Databases are software applications designed to store and retrieve information. Databases have long been employed as a vital tool by government and business to store, organize, and locate information. Modern database management systems are complex software applications that combine information from discrete sources, allowing information to be quickly located and displayed to the user. Perhaps the most elementary example of a database is a simple list of names and their associated phone numbers.

Databases are used for problem solving by all types and sizes of organizations, as well as by consumers, often also referred to as end users. Businesses commonly employ electronic databases to store and retrieve lists of customer names, addresses, phone numbers, billing information, and other data valuable to the organization. Databases are used to solve problems and to answer important questions, such as how much money the company owed, to whom...