Databases
A database is simply a collection of any kind. An Excel file is a very simple database. Databases used for genomics contain EST sequences, genetic or physical map information, phenotype, function or annotation data, and even images.
A relational database permits cross-referencing between the various types of data in the database (e.g. sequence names, library sources, etc.). Thus, with only one piece of information, one can retrieve all the information related to that query.
