Information Management Flashcards
What is a database?
An organized collection of logically related data.
What does data represent?
Stored representations of objects and events with meaning and importance.
How is information defined?
Data that has been processed to increase knowledge.
What is metadata?
Data that describes the properties or characteristics of end-user data.
What is a traditional file processing system?
A system where each application has its own private files, leading to data redundancy and limited sharing.
What is the database approach?
A centralized approach to managing data, overcoming the limitations of traditional file processing.
What is a Database Management System (DBMS)?
Software that enables the use of a database approach.
What is an entity in a database context?
A person, place, object, event, or concept in the business environment for which information must be recorded.
What is an attribute?
A data item describing an entity.
What defines a relationship in a database?
The connection between entities.
What is a relational database?
A database that establishes relationships between entities using common fields in a relation.
What is data independence?
The separation of data descriptions from the application programs.
What does data consistency ensure?
That data is accurate and consistent across the database.
What is data sharing?
The ability to share data among multiple applications.
What is a user view?
A logical description of a portion of the database required by a user.
What is a constraint in a database?
A rule that cannot be violated by database users to maintain data integrity.
What is a legacy system?
Older applications based on file processing or older database technology.
What is an enterprise application database?
A database designed to support organization-wide operations.
What is one advantage of the database approach?
Program-data independence.
How does the database approach improve data consistency?
By ensuring that data is accurate and consistent across the database.
What is one benefit of improved data sharing?
Increased productivity of application development.
What does enforcement of standards in a database approach lead to?
Improved data quality.
What are some advantages of the database approach?
Improved data accessibility and responsiveness, reduced program maintenance, and improved decision support.
What are some costs and risks associated with the database approach?
New and specialized personnel, installation and management costs, conversion costs, need for explicit backup and recovery, and organizational conflict.
What are the components of a database environment?
Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools, repository, Database Management System (DBMS), database, application programs, user interface, data and database administrators, system developers, and end users.
What types of databases are included in the range of database applications?
Personal databases, two-tier client/server databases, multitier client/server databases, and enterprise applications.
What is a key limitation of conventional file processing systems?
They lack the advantages provided by database systems, such as improved data accessibility and decision support.
What is the role of data and database administrators?
To manage and maintain the database environment and ensure data integrity and security.
What is the significance of explicit backup and recovery in database management?
To protect data from loss and ensure data availability in case of failures.
What are the differences between external, conceptual, and internal schemas?
External schema defines how users view data, conceptual schema defines the logical structure of the entire database, and internal schema defines how data is physically stored.
What are Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems?
Comprehensive business management software that integrates various functions of an organization.
What functions do ERP systems integrate?
Manufacturing, sales, finance, marketing, inventory, accounting, and human resources.
What is the purpose of data warehouses?
To collect data from different operational databases and analyze historical data for decision-making.
What are personal databases used for?
To manage personal information such as contacts, calendars, and finances.
What distinguishes two-tier client/server databases?
They have a simple architecture with a client and a server.
What is a key feature of multitier client/server databases?
They have a complex architecture with multiple layers (e.g., presentation, application, data).
What is the hierarchical database model?
A model where data is organized in a tree-like structure with parent-child relationships.
What does the relational database model represent?
Data as tables with rows and columns, using relationships between tables.
Who introduced the relational database model?
E.F. Codd in the 1970s.
What is the object-oriented database model suitable for?
Storing complex data types such as multimedia.
What is the purpose of multidimensional database models?
Designed for data analysis, often used in data warehousing and business intelligence applications.
What database model emerged in the late 1980s to handle complex data like multimedia files?
Object-Oriented Database Model.
What is the purpose of the Multidimensional Database Model?
Designed for data analysis and visualization, often used in data warehousing and business intelligence applications.
What structured approach does database development typically follow?
Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
What is the first phase of the SDLC in database development?
Planning.
What activity is involved in the Planning phase of the SDLC?
Enterprise Modeling and Conceptual Data Modeling.
What is created during the Analysis phase of the SDLC?
A detailed data model, including entities, attributes, and relationships.
What does the Design phase of the SDLC involve?
Logical Database Design and Physical Database Design and Definition.
What is the focus of the Implementation phase in database development?
Writing, testing, and installing database programs and scripts.
What is the purpose of the Maintenance phase in database development?
To modify the database structure to accommodate changing business needs.
What is Rapid Application Development (RAD)?
An iterative process with rapid analysis, design, and implementation cycles.
What is the goal of Prototyping in database development?
To create a working prototype and refine it through user feedback.
What does Agile Software Development emphasize?
Flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement.