CSC Quiz #2

8. What is the purpose of DBMS?

To create, process, and administer databases. Ex. Microsoft Access

6. List the components of a database:

User data, metadata, indexes and overhead data, and application metadata

3. Name the 4 components of a database system (pg 18)

Users, the database application, the database management system, and the database

5. Why do you think it is important for a database to be self-describing?

(self-describing means that a description of the structure of the database is contained within the database itself.) It is important because the contents of a database can always be determined by looking inside the database itself. This situation is akin to that of a library, where you can tell what is in the library by examining the catalog that resides within the library!!!

3. Personal database system:

A DBMS product intended for use by an individual or small workgroup. Such products typically include application development tools such as form and report generators in addition to the DBMS. For ex., Microsoft Access!!!!

4. Define the term database:

A collection of related tables and other structures.

1. What does SQL stand for and what purpose does it serve?

A language called structured query language!!!! It is used to reconstruct lists from their underlying tables; you can query for specific data conditions; and you can perform computations on data in tables: and you can insert, update, and delete data. Overall it is the leading technique for data definition and manipulation!!!!

11. What is the difference between a database and DBMS?

All DBMS products provide a set of tools for displaying the structure of their databases

12. What is Big Data? What is a NoSQL database? What are Web 2.0 applications? How are they related to Big Data? And why can't these applications use a relational database?

Big Data: The current term for enormous datasets created by Web applications (ex. search tools like Google!!!!), Web 2.0 social networks (ex. Facebook!!!!), scientific applications, and transaction data. NoSQL (or not only SQL) Databases: actually referring to the creation and use of non-relational DBMS products instead of just not using the SQL language, this movement was originally mislabeled as the NoSQL movement. Such systems may or may not use SQL-like query languages for data retrieval. It is now recognized that both relational and non-relational DBMS products are needed in management information systems and that they must interact with each other. Thus, the term not only SQL. Non-relational databases regardless of what query language it uses!!!!! Ex. of a non-relational database would be Apache Software Foundation's Cassandra database which both Facebook and Twitter use!!!! Non-relational datasets = NoSQL datasets which means a database that doesn't use SQL The reason Web 2.0 applications can't use relational databases is because they can't quickly create and store massive amounts of data.

2. Describe in your own words and illustrate with tables how relationships are represented in a relational database

Ex: the student with advisor list has 2 themes; students and advisors!!!! If we put this data in a relational database, we place the student data in 1 table named STUDENT and the advisor data in a table named ADVISOR. This is a database that has two tables!!!

9. List the specific functions of a DBMS

Functions: Create database, create tables, create supporting structures (indexes), read database data, modify database data (insert, update, or delete), maintain database structure, enforce rules, control concurrency, provide security, perform backup and recovery.

7. Define the term metadata and give some examples of application metadata:

Metadata is data about the structure of a database. Ex. are the names of the tables, the names of columns and the tables to which they belong, properties of tables and columns An ex. of application metadata would be forms and reports. Application metadata is data that describe application elements

10. What is referential integrity constraint and what is an example of this?

The DBMS enforces rules which are called Referential integrity constraint. Referential integrity constraint is a relationship constraint on foreign key values. A referential integrity constraint specifies that the values of a foreign key must be a subset of the values of the primary key to which it refers. An ex. would be telling the DBMS that any value of CustomerNumber in the ENROLLMENT table must already be a value of CustomerNumber in the CUSTOMER table to avoid mistakenly entering a value of 9 lets say for CustomerNumber in the Enrollment Table. If no such number exists, then the insert or update request should be disabled.

4. Big Data:

The current term for enormous datasets created by Web applications (ex. search tools like Google!!!!), Web 2.0 social networks (ex. Facebook!!!!), scientific applications, and transaction data.

6. ID column:

a column used as a primary key that usually has surrogate key values

2. Referential integrity constraint:

a relationship constraint on foreign key values. A referential integrity constraint specifies that the values of a foreign key must be a subset of the values of the primary key to which it refers.

5. NoSQL (or not only SQL):

actually referring to the creation and use of non-relational DBMS products instead of just not using the SQL language, this movement was originally mislabeled as the NoSQL movement. Such systems may or may not use SQL-like query languages for data retrieval. It is now recognized that both relational and non-relational DBMS products are needed in management information systems and that they must interact with each other. Thus, the term not only SQL. Non-relational databases regardless of what query language it uses!!!!! Ex. of a non-relational database would be Apache Software Foundation's Cassandra database which both Facebook and Twitter use!!!!

1. Metadata:

data concerning the structure of data in a database stored in the data dictionary. Metadata are used to describe tables, columns, constraints, indexes, and so forth.