Chapter 1: Database Systems Vocab
Database Management System (DBMS)
A collection of programs that manages the database structure and controls access to the data stored in the database
File
A collection of related records
Data Quality
A comprehensive approach to ensuring the accuracy, validity, and timeliness of data.
Field
A character or group of characters (alphabetic or numeric) that has a spicific meaning. A field is used to define and store data
Discipline-specific Databases
Contain data focused on specific subject areas
Data Dictionary
Contains information about the structure of the database, including a description of each data element (metadata)
End-user data
Raw facts of interest to the end user
Ad hoc Query
A "spur-of-the-moment" question
Analytical Database
A database focused primarily on storing historical data and business metrics used exclusively for tactical or strategic decision making
Cloud Database
A database that is created and maintained using cloud services
Operational Database
A database that is designed primarily to support a company's day-to-day operations. Also known as a online transaction processing(OLTP), transactional, or production database
Centralized Database
A database that supports data located at a single site
Data Management
A discipline that focuses on the proper generation, storage, and retrieval of data.
Structural Dependence
A file system where access to a file is dependent on its structure
Record
A logically connected set of one or more fields that describes a person, place, or thing
Query Language
A nonprocedural language that is used by a DBMS to manipulate its data. An example of a query language is SQL.
Database
A shared, integrated computer structure that stores a collection of End-user data and Metadata
Desktop Database
A single-user database that runs on a personal computer.
Extensible Markup Language (XML)
A special language used to represent and manipulate data elements in a textual format
Data Warehouse
A specialized database that stores data in a format optimized for decision support
Query
A specific request issued to the DBMS for data manipulation - ex. read or update data
Unstructured Data
Data that exist in their original (raw) state -- in the format in which they were collected
Distributed Database
Database that supports data distributed across several different sites
Business Intelligence
Describes a comprehensive approach to capture and process business data with the purpose of generating information to support business decision making
Data Anomaly
Develops when not all of the required changes in the redundant data are made successfully
Data Redundancy
Exists when the same data are stored unnessarily at different places
Structural Independence
Exists when you can change the file structure without affecting the application's ability to access the data
NoSQL (Not only SQL)
Generally used to describe a new generation of database management systems that is not based on the traditional relational database model
Semistructured Data
Have already been processed to some extent; most data encountered will be found in this format
Data
Raw facts, such as a telephone number, a birth date, a customer name, etc. Has little meaning unless organized in some logical manner.
Database Design
Refers to the activities that focus on the design of the database structure that willl be used to store and manage end-user data
Social Media
Refers to web and mobile technologies that enable "anywhere, anytime, always on" human interactions
Performance Tuning
Relates to the activities that make the database perform more efficiently in terms of storage and access speed
Islands of Information
Scattered data locations, Increases the probability of having different versions of the same data
Multiuser Database
Supports multiple users at the same time.
Single-user Database
Supports only one user at a time
XML Database
Supports the storage and management of semistructured XML data
Query Result Set
The collection of data rows returned by a query.
Data Integrity
The condition in which all of the data in the database are consistent with the real-world events and conditions - Data are accurate: no inconsistencies - Data are verfiable: the data will always yield consistent results
Structured Query Language (SQL)
The de facto query language and data access standard supported by the majority of DBMS vendors
Data Processing (DP) Specialist
The person responsible for developing and managing a computerized file processing system.
Structured Data
The result of formatting unstructured data to facilitate storage, use, and the generation of information
Workgroup Database
WHen a multiuser database supports a relatively small number of users (<50) or a specific department within an organization
Enterprise Database
When the database is used by the entire organization and supports many users (more than 50, usually hundreds) across many departments
Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)
a set of tools that work together to provide an advanced data analysis environment for retrieving, processing, and modeling data from the data warehouse
General-purpose Databases
contain a wide variety of data used in multiple disciplines
Metadata
data about data, through wich the end-user data are integrated and managed
Data Inconsistency
exists when different versions of the same data appear in different places
Database System
refers to an organization of components that define and regulate the collection, storage, management, and use of data within a database environment