How to Optimize Your Data Management with Database Views
Databases are indispensable for effective data management across all industries. They offer a rich toolkit for facilitating efficient data management, including a centralized, structured system for storing, maintaining, and retrieving data and supporting concurrent access by multiple users, plus features for data backup and support for analysis and reporting. Check out our blog to learn more about the types of databases and their uses.
Database views play a significant role in good data management. By offering a simplified, customized perspective of data from multiple tables, they enable users to query complex information, quickly improving performance. They also enhance data security by restricting access to specific data within the view, making them indispensable for managing different user roles effectively.
Database views are also essential for maintaining data integrity. They enable you to customize the visibility of sensitive information based on user roles and requirements without changing the core database structure. Views serve as a filter, guaranteeing that users only have access to authorized data, thus minimizing the potential for data leaks or unauthorized access.
While this article focuses on the importance of a database as it relates to data management and how database views can optimize this process, it’s also necessary to point out that ensuring data integrity involves:
- Defining data needs
- Identifying data points that align with business needs
- Prioritizing based on relevance
- Collaborating with stakeholders to understand requirements
What is a database view?
A database view is a virtual table based on the result of an SQL query. The view can represent data from one or more tables in a structured format. However, while it can be queried, it cannot be used to modify the data because it is only a query to request data and not the actual data itself. Views can simplify complex queries, encapsulate logic, enhance security by restricting access to specific data, and present data in a particular format without altering the underlying tables. For instance, a view can display only particular rows or columns from a table or join multiple tables.
Users can query a view just like they would a regular table, but any changes made to the view might affect the underlying tables, depending on how the view is defined. The process of changing a database view depends on the specific database management system (DBMS) being used. In general, modifying a view involves changing its definition or the SQL query that defines it. This can include altering which tables or columns are included, adjusting the conditions in the WHERE clause, or modifying the join conditions. Changes made to a database view can have an impact on the underlying tables in several ways, such as through updatable views, INSTEAD OF triggers, materialized views, dependent objects, and data manipulation via views.
Data views offer these key features:
Data access simplification
Views can simplify complex queries by encapsulating them, making it easier for users to access the data without understanding the underlying table structures.
Access security
They can restrict access to specific rows or columns of data, allowing users to see only the information they are authorized to view.
Data aggregation
Views can aggregate data, perform calculations or summarizations, and help with reporting purposes.
Data abstraction
They provide a level of abstraction, allowing users to interact with data without knowing its physical storage details.
Updatable views
In some cases, views can be updated, allowing changes made to the view to be reflected in the underlying tables, although there are specific rules governing which views can be updated.
Database views virtualize database tables, but you can also virtualize the databases themselves. Learn more about database virtualization in our blog: Database Virtualization: What Is It & 8 Best Tools.
The benefits of views in databases
Views enhance databases’ usability, security, and maintainability, making them valuable tools for data management and usability:
Enhanced security
Views can restrict access to sensitive data by exposing only specific columns or rows, ensuring users only see what they are authorized to view.
Simplified queries
Users can work with simplified representations of complex queries. Views encapsulate complex joins and calculations, making it easier for users to retrieve data without understanding the underlying complexity.
Logical data independence
Changes to the underlying tables (like renaming columns or changing data types) can often be made without affecting the views. This allows for greater flexibility in database design.
Consistent data representation
By using views, organizations can ensure a consistent way to access and present data across different applications and user interfaces.
Improved performance optimization
Views can improve performance by predefining complex joins and aggregations, allowing the database to optimize query execution.
Easier maintenance
Maintaining the underlying queries becomes easier by encapsulating complex logic within views. If the logic needs to change, it can often be updated in the view without affecting users directly.
Encouraging best practices
Using views can promote best practices in database design by encouraging users to think critically about how data is accessed and used.
To realize the full benefits of database views, many organizations employ database APIs to help extract data from the database.
Types of database views
Database views can be categorized into several types based on their functionality and characteristics:
Simple views are based on a single table and do not include any calculated fields or groupings. They provide a straightforward way to access specific columns from a table.
Complex views contain multiple tables, including joins, aggregations, and calculations. Complex views allow users to combine data from different sources into a single representation.
Materialized views, unlike regular views, physically store the result on disk. This can improve performance for complex queries since the data does not need to be recomputed each time the view is accessed. However, they require periodic refreshing to stay updated.
Security views are designed to restrict access to sensitive information, enhancing data security and compliance by exposing only specific data fields to users.
Static views are made up of data from multiple tables, and the columns required for these tables must be specified in the SELECT and WHERE clauses of the static view. Static views must be manually updated when related or extended objects are created or changed.
Dynamic views can contain data from one or two tables and automatically include all columns from the specified table or tables. Dynamic views are automatically updated when related or extended objects are created or changed.
By understanding these views, database administrators and users can effectively leverage them to enhance their systems’ data management, security, and usability.
Database views use cases
The following table outlines four database views and their corresponding optimal use cases.
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View type
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Description
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Use case
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Simple
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Present a set of columns without complex calculations or joins based on a single table.
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Best used for straightforward data access where users need a clean and easy way to query specific fields from a table.
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Complex
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Involves multiple tables, including joins, aggregations, and calculations.
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Ideal for situations where users must analyze data from multiple sources in a unified format, for example, generating a sales report that combines data from sales, customers, and product tables to show total sales per customer.
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Materialized
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Stores the result set physically on disk and can be refreshed periodically.
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Best used when query performance is critical, and the underlying data does not change frequently. For example, using a materialized view can significantly speed up response times in a reporting environment where complex queries are run often.
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Security
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Restricts access to sensitive information, only exposing specific data fields to users.
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Useful when certain users or roles cannot access all data—for instance, creating a view for a customer service team that only shows non-sensitive customer information. At the same time, sensitive fields (like social security numbers) are hidden.
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Organizations can enhance data security, improve performance, and simplify user access by choosing the appropriate view type for a specific scenario. Learn more about use cases of views in our blog: Database Management Systems (DBMS): Definition, Uses, and Examples.
Database views with CData Virtuality
To improve data management, enhance access, and gain valuable insights, businesses should consider implementing a data virtualization platform like CData Virtuality. Like database views, Virtuality provides a virtualized view of all your data—not just database tables.
CData Virtuality helps organizations build strong data governance policies, centralize data storage, automate data cleaning and integration processes, utilize data visualization tools, and equip employees with the necessary data literacy skills to effectively analyze and interpret information. Sign up for a demo of CData Virtuality today and see how you can get virtualized access to your business data.
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