1.3.2 Databases Flashcards
1
Q
Flatfile database
A
- consists of only a single file [1]
- requires little expertise to maintain [1]
- may have redundant data which can lead to increased storage requirements [1]
- flat file database is harder to update so data might be inconsistent [1]
2
Q
Relational database
A
- a relational database is one that uses different tables for different entities
- consists of linked tables [1]
- maintains data integrity [1]
3
Q
Entity
A
an item of interest about which information is stored
4
Q
Primary key
A
- a unique identifier for each record [1]
- used to establish relationships between tables
- can be used to fetch any record from a table
5
Q
Foreign key
A
- the field/column which links two tables together [1]
- it is the field/column that refers to the primary key in another table [1]
6
Q
Secondary key
A
- specifying another attribute to be indexed for faster search [1]
- an indexed field that is not unique
- the index consumes additional storage space in the database [1]
7
Q
Entity- relationships modelling
A
- one -to one
- one - to many
- many to many
8
Q
One - to - one
A
Each entity can only be linked to one other entity
9
Q
One- to- many
A
One table can be associated with many other tables
10
Q
Many-to-many
A
Many tables can be associated with many other tables
11
Q
Normalisation
A
- the process of coming up with the best possible layout for a relational database
- normalisation tries to accomplish the following :
- no redundancy so data integrity is maintained
- consistent data throughout linked tables
- records can be added and removed without issues
- complex queries can be carried out
12
Q
First normal form 1NF
(To get to 1NF a tables must follow 5 rules)
A
- all field names must be unique ( to avoid confusion about which record should be retrieved or updated)
- values in fields must be from the same domain (e.g data type)
- values in fields should be atomic so for every cell there must only be a single value
- no two records can be identical
- each table needs a primary key
13
Q
No duplicate records in 1NF
A
this is because duplicate records take up unnecessary space and can cause inconsistencies if updates are not performed on all of them
14
Q
Second normal form (2NF)
A
- the data is already in 1NF
- any partial dependencies have been removed
- meaning no fields can depend on only part of a composite primary key
- so each table should serve its own single purpose
15
Q
Partial dependency
A
- Means one of more fields depend on only part of the primary key
- this issue can arise if the primary key is a composite key
16
Q
Fixing a many to-many relationship
A
- create a linking table
- assign primary key from the 2 initial tables as the composite primary key for the new linking table
- this flips the M:M relationship to become to 1:M relationships
17
Q
Third normal form (3NF)
A
- data is already in 2NF
- any non-key dependencies are removed
- all keys are dependant on the primary key, the whole primary key and nothing but the primary key
18
Q
Non key dependencies
A
When the value of a field depends on the value of another field which is not the primary key
19
Q
Indexing
A
- creates a Data structure on specific fields/columns allowing the database engine to quickly locate and access relevant records during queries
- primary key is automatically indexed
- adding an index to a field speeds up searches on that field which would otherwise have to be searched sequentially
20
Q
Indexing advantages
A
- allows faster search + data retrieval from the indexed field[1]
21
Q
Indexing disadvantages
A
- consume additional storage space
- for small tables, benefits of indexing may be negligible or even counter productive
22
Q
Handling data
A
Consists of 4 parts :
- capturing data
- selecting data
- managing data
- exchanging data
23
Q
Data capturing methods
A
- paper based forms
- OCR (optical character recognition)
- OMR (optical mark recognition)
- MICR (magnetic ink character recognition)
- sensors
- smart card readers
- barcode scanners
24
Q
Paper based forms
A
- involves a human reading the form and manually typing the information into a computer based system
- to avoid errors :
- every part of the form must be labelled clearly
- instructions to complete the form in black pen
- instructions to complete the form in capital letters
- use of tick boxes
- squares for entering each letter separately
25
Q
OCR
A
- automatically reads text by interpreting the shape of letters
- works better with printed text than handwriting
- post offices use OCR to read postcodes and route mail
- road cameras use OCR to recognise number plates to identify drivers who are speeding
26
Q
OMR
A
- often used for multiple choice tests and lottery tickets
- significantly reduces risk of human error
27
Q
MICR
A
Used to scan cheques
28
Q
Selecting and managing data
A
- involves only selecting data that meets a certain criteria eg speed camera automatically only photograph vehicles which are exceeding the speed limit
- collected data can be managed using SQL to sort/select data from different tables which match the criteria
- using selected data :
- reports may be produced
- letters sent out by post or email
- new stock items automatically reordered
- records added, updated or deleted
29
Q
Exchanging data
A
- the process of transferring data which has been collected
- common way to exchange data is EDI
30
Q
EDI ( electronic data interchange )
A
- using standardised message formatting documents can be exchanged electronically
- doesn’t require human interaction
- significantly increases speed of data transmission
- however this means any error in the data will be replicated across multiple systems
31
Q
Methods of exchanging data
A
- CSV
- JSON
- XML
- EDI
- SQL
- APIs
32
Q
SQL
A
Is a declarative programming language used to manipulate databases
33
Q
Referential integrity
A
- ensures that changes across a database are consistent [1]
- if a record is removed, all references to it are removed (cascade delete can be used) [1]
- a foreign key must have a corresponding primary key in another table [1]
- prevents orphaned records
34
Q
Transaction processing
A
- a transaction is a single operation executed on data
- each transaction must succeed or fail as a single unit - can never be only partially complete
- eg in bank transfers the transaction is withdrawal from one account and deposit into another
- both operations should happen or neither should happen
35
Q
ACID
A
- a set of rules that ensures that transactions are processed reliably and data integrity is maintained
- Atomicity
- Consistency
- Isolation
- Durability
36
Q
Record Locking
A
- the technique of preventing simultaneous access to records in a database in order to prevent inconsistencies or loss of updates
- so while one person is editing a record, the record is locked preventing others from accessing the same record until the transaction is complete or cancelled
37
Q
Record locking benefits
A
- maintains data consistency and integrity by preventing conflicting records
- allows concurrent read access to records without comprising data consistency
38
Q
Record locking cons
A
- a deadlock could occur and this happens when two or more transactions are waiting for each other to release resources causing them to wait indefinitely
39
Q
Deadlock resolution
A
- serialisation :
- timestamp ordering
- or commitment ordering may be used
40
Q
Serialisation
A
- involves assigning a unique serial order to transactions ensuring that transactions execute one after the other rather than concurrently
41
Q
Time stamp ordering
A
- Assigns a timestamp to each transaction based on its start time
- transactions are then ordered based on the timestamps
- if a deadlock is detected, the DBMS can compare the timestamps of conflicting transactions
- the transaction with the lower timestamp is rolled back allowing the others to proceed
42
Q
Commitment ordering
A
- transactions are ordered in terms of their dependencies on each other as well as the time they were initiated
- can be used to prevent a deadlock by blocking one request until another is completed
43
Q
Redundancy
A
- The process of having one or more copies of data in physically different locations
- this means if there is damage to one copy, the others will remain unaffected and can be recovered
44
Q
Atomicity
A
- A transaction must be processed in its entirety or not at all [1]
- can never be only partially complete
45
Q
Consistency
A
- a transaction must maintain the referential integrity rules between linked tables
- ensuring that data starts with a consistent state and ends with a consistent state
46
Q
Isolation
A
- ensures that the outcome of concurrent transactions is the same as if the transactions were completed sequentially [1]
- transactions are isolated from one another preventing conflicts and data inconsistencies
- record locking can be used to ensure isolation
47
Q
Durability
A
- ensures that committed data/transaction is not lost even in the case of power cut/ system failure [1]
- durability can be achieved by storing completed transaction in secondary storage [1]
