Lesson 1 Introduction to Databases, Information and Data Flashcards
Chapter 1 of WGU Class C175
A “spur-of-the-moment” question.
Ad Hoc Query
A database focused primarily on storing historical data and business metrics used for tactical or strategic decision making.
Analytical Database
In the context of data security, it refers to the accessibility of data whenever required by authorized users and for authorized purposes.
Availability
A database that is created and maintained using cloud services, such as Microsoft Azure or Amazon AWS.
Cloud Database
Raw facts, or facts that have not yet been processed to reveal their meaning to the end user.
Data
A data abnormality in which inconsistent changes have been made to a database. For example, an employee moves, but the address change is not corrected in all files in the database.
Data Anomaly
A data condition in which data representation and manipulation are dependent on the physical data storage characteristics.
Data Dependence
A DBMS component that stores metadata—data about data. Thus, the data dictionary contains the data definition as well as their characteristics and relationships. A data dictionary may also include data that are external to the DBMS. Also known as an information resource dictionary. See also active data dictionary, metadata, and passive data dictionary.
Data Dictionary
A condition in which different versions of the same data yield different (inconsistent) results.
Data Inconsistency
A condition in which data access is unaffected by changes in the physical data storage characteristics.
Data Independence
In a relational database, a condition in which the data in the database complies with all entity and referential integrity constraints.
Data Integrity
A process that focuses on data collection, storage, and retrieval. Common data management functions include addition, deletion, modification, and listing.
Data Management
The person responsible for developing and managing a computerized file processing system.
Data Processing Specialist
Exists when the same data is stored unnecessarily at different places.
Data Redundancy
A shared, integrated computer structure that houses a collection of related data. A database contains two types of data: end-user data (raw facts) and metadata.
Database
The process that yields the description of the database structure and determines the database components. The second phase of the Database Life Cycle.
Database Design
The collection of programs that manages the database structure and controls access to the data stored in the database.
database management system (DBMS)
An organization of components that defines and regulates the collection, storage, management, and use of data in a database environment.
Database System
A single-user database that runs on a personal computer.
Desktop Database
A database that contains data focused on specific subject areas.
Discipline-specific Database
The overall company data representation, which provides support for present and expected future needs.
Enterprise Database
An alphabetic or numeric character or group of characters that defines a characteristic of a person, place, or thing. For example, a person’s Social Security number, address, phone number, and bank balance all constitute fields.
Field
A named collection of related records.
File
A database that contains a wide variety of data used in multiple disciplines.
General Purpose Databases
A warehouse of data packets housed in a central location on a local area network. It contains multiple ports that copy the data in the data packets to make it accessible to selected or all segments of the network.
Hub
The result of processing raw data to reveal its meaning. Information consists of transformed data and facilitates decision making.
Information
In the old file system environment, pools of independent, often duplicated, and inconsistent data created and managed by different departments.
Islands of Information
The body of information and facts about a specific subject. Knowledge implies familiarity, awareness, and understanding of information as it applies to an environment. A key characteristic is that new knowledge can be derived from old knowledge.
Knowledge
The way a person views data within the context of a problem domain.
Logical Data Format
Data about data; that is, data about data characteristics and relationships.
Metadata
A database that supports multiple concurrent users.
Multi-User Database
A new generation of database management systems that is not based on the traditional relational database model.
NoSql
Decision support system (DSS) tools that use multidimensional data analysis techniques. OLAP creates an advanced data analysis environment that supports decision making, business modeling, and operations research.
online analytical processing (OLAP)
A database designed primarily to support a company’s day-to-day operations. Also known as a transactional database, OLTP database, or production database.
Operation Database
Activities that make a database perform more efficiently in terms of storage and access speed.
Performance Tuning
The way a computer “sees” (stores) data.
physical data format
A question or task asked by an end user of a database in the form of SQL code. A specific request for data manipulation issued by the end user or the application to the DBMS.
query
A nonprocedural language that is used by a DBMS to manipulate its data. An example of a query language is SQL.
Query Language
The collection of data rows returned by a query.
query result set
A collection of related (logically connected) fields.
record
In Oracle, a named collection of database access privileges that authorize a user to connect to a database and use its system resources.
role
(1) An intelligent device used to connect dissimilar networks.
(2) Hardware/software equipment that connects multiple and diverse networks.
router
Data that has already been processed to some extent.
semistructured data
A database that supports only one user at a time.
single-user database
Web and mobile technologies that enable “anywhere, anytime, always on” human interactions.
social media
A data characteristic in which a change in the database schema affects data access, thus requiring changes in all access programs.
structural dependence
A data characteristic in which changes in the database schema do not affect data access.
structural independence
Data that has been formatted to facilitate storage, use, and information generation.
structured data
A powerful and flexible relational database language composed of commands that enable users to create database and table structures, perform various types of data manipulation and data administration, and query the database to extract useful information.
Structured Query Language (SQL)
Data that exists in its original, raw state; that is, in the format in which it was collected.
unstructured data
Refers to the Web server and the collection of Web pages stored on the local hard disk of the server computer.
website
A multiuser database that usually supports fewer than 50 users or is used for a specific department in an organization.
workgroup database
A data that represents other forms of data using specific machine language systems that can be interpreted by various technologies.
digital data
