Final answer:
Database independence is the ability to modify a system's database at one level without altering another, which includes both logical and physical aspects of the database design. It helps maintain applications' functionality despite changes in the data organization or storage.
Step-by-step explanation:
Database independence refers to the capacity of a system to change the database schema at one level without requiring changes at another level. This is important for maintaining the adaptive nature and longevity of database applications. Specifically, the term is associated with two types of independence:
- Logical Data Independence: The ability to modify the logical schema without having to alter the external schema or application programs. For example, you could add a new field to a table without affecting how applications interact with that table.
- Physical Data Independence: The ability to modify the physical schema without changing the logical schema or applications. This could involve changing storage devices or using different indexing strategies without affecting the structure or the presentation of the data to the user or application.
Both levels of independence serve to protect applications from the effects of changes in the way data is organized or stored, enhancing the data's abstraction layers. This is not directly related to the ability to perform queries, secure data, or access data without restrictions, which are separate issues within database management.