What does normalization in databases aim to achieve?

Normalization in databases is primarily aimed at eliminating data redundancy and anomalies. This process involves organizing the fields and tables of a database to ensure that dependencies are properly established. By doing so, normalization helps ensure that each piece of data is stored only once, reducing duplication and inconsistencies that can occur when the same data is stored in multiple places.

When a database is normalized, it is typically structured in such a way that it adheres to certain normal forms (like 1NF, 2NF, and so on), which delineate specific criteria for organization. This structured approach not only helps in minimizing data redundancy but also assists in maintaining data integrity by making it easier to manage relationships between different data tables.

While enhancing security of sensitive data, increasing the speed of data retrieval, and grouping similar data types together are important aspects of database management, they are not the core focus of normalization. Normalization is specifically about restructuring data to create a more efficient, reliable, and organized database schema, which ultimately supports the overall goals of data management, including reducing redundancy and avoiding anomalies during database operations.