Difference Between RDBMS and ORDBMS
Based on the relational model, RDBMS (Relational Database Management System) is a DBMS (Database Management System). The most popular DBMSs currently in use are RDMSs. The relational database object (ORDBMS) is a DBMS that extends RDBMS to support a broader class of applications and tries to create a bridge between the paradigms of object oriented and relational.
As mentioned earlier RDBMS is based on the relational model and the data in a RDMS is stored in the form of related tables. And a relational database can simply be seen as a collection of one or more relations or tables with rows as well as columns. Each column is equivalent to an attribute of the relationship and each row represents a record that consists of data values for an entity. RDMSs are created by extending hierarchical and network models, which were two earlier systems of database. The main elements of an RDMS are the standards and also concepts associated with integrity of relations. The basis of these concepts is thirteen rules for a relational system developed by Ted Codd. Following three important basics should be followed by an RDMS:
- Entire information should be held in the form of a table.
- Each value found in table columns should not be repeated.
- Use of Standard Query Language (SQL).
The biggest advantage of RDBMSs is its simplicity for users to create and expand the approach of data. Once a database is created, the user can add new categories of data to the database without changing the existing application. There are some noticeable drawbacks in RDBMSs. One such drawback is that their lack of effectiveness in working with languages other than SQL and also the fact that all information must be present in tables that define the entities’ relationships by means of values. In addition, RDMSs do not have enough storage area to manipulate data such as images, digital audio and video. Currently the most dominant of DBMSs such as IBM DB2 family, Oracle, Microsoft’s approach and SQL Server are in fact RDMS.
As mentioned earlier ORDBMS provides a balance between RDMS databases and object oriented (OODBMS). You can basically say that ORDBMS puts an object oriented front end on a RDBMS. When an application communicates with an ORDBMS it will act normally as if the data are stored as objects. ORDBMS then converts the object information in data tables with rows and columns and manipulates the data as it was stored in an RDBMS. In addition, when data is retrieved, it will make a complex object created by gathering simple data. The biggest advantage of ORDBMS is that it facilitates a conversion of data between RDBMS format and the format of OODBMS, and thus sparing the programmer the trouble of writing the code to switch between both formats and database approach is easy to an object oriented language.
Although RDBMS and ORDBMS are both DBMSs, they differ in how they communicate with applications. Applications using RDBMS need do the extra work for maintaining complex data whereas ORDBMS innately supports it. But because of the internal conversion between data formats, ORDBMSs performance may be degraded. So choosing one over the other depends on the data to be stored / managed.