Transaction Processing Systems (TPS)

Question 1

Transaction Processing Systems

Answer 1

Are information systems that process transactions which occur within an organisation. They collect, store, modify and retrieve records of transactions.

Question 2

Transaction

Answer 2

A unit of work composed of multiple events that must all succeed or must all fail. Events perform actions that create and/or modify data.(p365)

Question 3

Backup

Answer 3

Copying files to a seperate secondary storage as a precaution in case the main device is lost, damaged or fails.

Question 4

Recovery

Answer 4

Where the copied data is restored into the system after failure.

Question 5

Full Backup

Answer 5

A complete copy of all data within the system. It can include operating system, application software and configuration settings as well as data. For most businesses the actual data is of particular value, and is therefore backed up regularly. (p415)

Question 6

Incremental Backup

Answer 6

Includes making partial backup of data that has changed since the last full backup. (p415)

Question 7

Differential Backup

Answer 7

Uses partial backups to make copies of all files that have been altered or created since the last full backup. (p415)

Question 8

Transaction Logs

Answer 8

Contain historical details of each transaction, including those currently being processed. The details can be used to restore a TPS back to a consistent state at some precise time.

Question 9

Rollback

Answer 9

The process of incomplete transactions being rolled back, returning the data to its original consistent state. (p416)

Question 10

Mirroring

Answer 10

A process performed by various RAID implementations where the same data is stored on multiple hard drives. Should one disk fail, no data is lost because there is more than one complete copy. Disks can be swapped without halting the system, preventing interruption to business operations. Mirroring improves real access times but not write times.

Question 11

Grandfather, Father, Son

Answer 11

Backup rotation scheme which requires daily (son) tapes, weekly (father) tapes and monthly (grandfather) tapes. Daily full or partial backups are made each work day to a son tape, except the last for the week. On the last work day, a full backup is made to a father tape. At the end of the four the week, a full backup is made to a grandfather tape. (p420)

Question 12

Bias Data Collection

Answer 12

An inclination/preference towards an outcome. This unfairly influences outputs/outcomes. It typically occurs when establishing the system, when deciding what data to collect and when collecting data.

Question 13

Firewalls

Answer 13

Provides protection from outside penetration by hackers. It monitors the transfer of information to and from the network.

Question 14

Encryption

Answer 14

The process of making data unreadable by those who do not possess the decryption key (p172)

Question 15

Data Validation

Answer 15

A check at the time of data collection, to ensure the data is reasonable and meets certain criteria. (p376)

Question 16

Data Verification

Answer 16

A check to ensure the data collected and stored matches and continues to match the source of the data. (p376)

Question 17

Referential Integrity

Answer 17

In a relational database, referential integrity ensures all foreign keys in linked tables match a primary key in the related table.(p377)

Question 18

ACID Properties

Answer 18

Ensures transactions are never incomplete (atomicity), the data is never inconsistent (consistency), transactions of not affect each other (isolation) and that the results of a completed transaction are permanent (durability)

Question 19

Normalising

Answer 19

Reduces/eliminates duplicate data within individual relational databases, however when transactions span multiple databases, issues will arise. Requires the use of unique identifiers.

Question 20

Data Warehouse

Answer 20

A large data base with historical copies of data from each organisation’s operational data base. They are typically static and read only - a snapshot of a database at one point in time.

Question 21

Management Information System

Answer 21

Transforms data within a TPS into information which assist in the management of business operations.

Question 22

Decision Support System

Answer 22

Provides information to managers assisting in the decision making process. It also summarises current transaction data, presenting possible solutions and assessing the consequence of each decision.

Question 23

Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)

Answer 23

A techniques used for providing business decision makers with statistical evidence, largely based on trends. OLAP provides critical information visually, online as needed and as quickly as possible. (p224) It is used for sales analysis and forecasting, market research, budgeting, etc. Data warehouse is an example.

Question 24

Data Mining

Answer 24

Examination of raw data to find hidden patterns/relationships.

Question 25

Data Marts

Answer 25

Recognised summary of specific data from a data warehouse, or transaction database. It aims to meet the specific needs to retrieve information, and assist in decision making.

Question 26

Enterprise Systems

Answer 26

Large organisations/government departments/universities use this system to perform processes central to their overall operation.

Question 27

Data Integrity

Answer 27

Includes data validation, data verification, ACID properties and data redundancy.

Question 28

Manual Transaction Processing System

Answer 28

Follows a strict sequence of events, with strict rules followed throughout the transaction process. They do not use machines. Rather, physical pen and paper files are recorded and stored.

Question 29

Automated Transaction Processing System

Answer 29

Has a non-linear structure. This means that steps can, and often are, conducted in different orders. Each transaction is different from the next. It requires the use of information technology (hardware and software).

Question 30

Participants

Answer 30

People who carry out information processes, and interact directly with the TPS.

Question 31

Real-time (online) processing (OLTP)

Answer 31

Transactions are completed immediately they have been initiated. Each transaction must complete within a reasonable amount of time. Eg. online booking, ATM transactions. Real time processing systems are also known as online transaction processing (OLTP). OLTP manage very large numbers of short online transactions.

Question 32

Batch Processing

Answer 32

These systems separate data collection from the actual transaction processing operations. Eg bulk cheque clearance, payroll systems, bulk generation of bills, eg rates, electricity.

Question 33

Transaction Processing Monitor

Answer 33

Software application which coordinates the transactions of large systems. It covers many database servers, has a restore manager, and ensures the integrity of transaction data.

Question 34

Types of TPS

Answer 34

Web-based, non web-based, batch, real-time (OLTP), those that appear real-time but where the actual transaction data is batch processed, eg credit card payments.

Question 35

Atomicity

Answer 35

All events in a transaction are completed successfully or none at all. If any single operation, or step, in the transaction fails, then the entire transaction is aborted.

Question 36

Barcode Readers

Answer 36

Hardware for data collection, optical scanner operates by reflecting light off barcode image, sending data to be processed by the system.

Question 37

Consistency

Answer 37

Ensures transactions take data from one consistent state and, when transaction is completed, the data is left in a consistent state.

Question 38

Data Quality

Answer 38

Refers to how reliable and effective the data is for the organisation. Data must have integrity in order to be of effective quality.

Question 39

Data Security

Answer 39

Two aims: prevent data loss, and, prevent unauthorised access. Achieved through backup and recovery processes along with physical security measures, eg locked climate controlled room, limited access, passwords and usernames, encryption and decryption

Question 40

Decryption

Answer 40

The process of decoding encrypted data using a key.

Question 41

Durability

Answer 41

Ensures all committed transactions are absolutely permanent, meaning the results are written to a physical storage device.

Question 42

Isolation

Answer 42

Transactions must process data without interfering with or being influenced by other transactions that are currently executing.

Question 43

Issues with TPS

Answer 43

Changing nature of work, A need for alternative non-computer procedures, Control and Data Integrity

Question 44

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)

Answer 44

Wireless, non-contact transfer of data using radio frequency waves. Tagging items with RFID tags allows systems to automatically identify and track inventory and assets. Eg, eTAGs in vehicles, library books, expensive retail items.

Question 45

RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks)

Answer 45

Multiple hard disk drives, used together with a RAID controller, store and retrieve data to a number of hard drives at the same time. Two methods of storage used: splicing and mirroring. Splicing cuts data into pieces and processes them simultaneously on different drives.