MIS 431 REVIEW QUESTIONS TEXTBOOK
What common problems does a collection of spreadsheets created by end users share with the typical file system?
pg 18 data modeling
What is data redundancy, and which characteristics of the file system can lead to it?
Data redundancy: same data stored unnecessarily in different places Exists when unnecessarily duplicated data are found in the database. e.g., a customer's telephone number in the customer file, in the sales agent file, and in the invoice file. Data redundancy may also be the result of poorly‑designed databases that allow the same data to be kept in different locations. problems with file systems: Requires extensive programming Cannot perform ad hoc queries System administration is complex and difficult Difficult to make changes to existing structures Security features are likely to be inadequate
What is a DBMS, and what are its functions?
Manages Database structure Controls access to data Contains query language functions: Data dictionary management Data storage management Data transformation and presentation Security management Multiuser access control Backup and recovery management Data integrity management Database language and application programming interfaces Database communication interfaces
Define each of the following: a.data b. field c. record d. file
a. data are raw facts b. group of characters with specific meaning c. logically connected fields that describe a person, place, or thing d. collection of related record
What is structural independence, and why is it important?
change file structure without affecting data access
What is data independence, and why is it lacking in file systems?
data storage characteristics do not affect data access
9, 14-23
do on paper
Problem 1, 3 (a-e), 8
do on paper