CSI-215 Chapter 1

Data

Raw facts, or facts that have not yet been processed to reveal their meaning to the end user.

Information

The result of processing raw data to reveal its meaning. Information consists of transformed data and facilitates decision making.

Knowledge

The body of information and facts about a specific subject. Knowledge implies familiarity, awareness, and understanding of information as it applies to an environment.

Data management

A process that focuses on data collection, storage, and retrieval. Common data management functions include addition, deletion, modification, and listing.

Database

A shared, integrated computer structure that houses a collection of related data.

Metadata

Data about data; that is, data about data characteristics and relationships.

Database management system (DBMS)

The collection of programs that manages the database structure and controls access to the data stored in the database.

Data inconsistency

A condition in which different versions of the same data yield different (inconsistent) results.

Query

A question or task asked by an end user of a database in the form of SQL code.

Ad hoc query

A 'spur-of-the-moment' question.

Query result set

The collection of data rows returned by a query.

Data quality

A comprehensive approach to ensuring the accuracy, validity, and timeliness of data.

Single-user database

A database that supports only one user at a time.

Desktop database

A single-user database that runs on a personal computer.

Multiuser database

A database that supports multiple concurrent users.

Workgroup database

A multiuser database that usually supports fewer than 50 users or is used for a specific department in an organization.

Enterprise database

The overall company data representation, which provides support for present and expected future needs.

Centralized database

A database located at a single site.

Distributed database

A logically related database that is stored in two or more physically independent sites.

Cloud database

A database that is created and maintained using cloud services, such as Microsoft Azure or Amazon AWS.

General-purpose databases

A database that contains a wide variety of data used in multiple disciplines.

Discipline-specific databases

A database that contains data focused on a specific subject area.

Operational database

A database designed primarily to support a company's day-to-day operations.

Online transaction processing (OLTP) database

A database designed primarily to support a company's day-to-day operations.

Transactional database

A database that supports transaction-oriented applications.

Production database

A database that is actively used to support business operations.

Analytical database

A database optimized for analysis and reporting.

Data warehouse

A centralized repository for integrated data from multiple sources.

Online analytical processing (OLAP)

A category of software technology that enables analysts, managers, and executives to gain insight into data through fast, consistent, interactive access.

Business intelligence

Technologies and strategies used by enterprises for data analysis of business information.

OLTP database

A database designed primarily to support a company's day-to-day operations.

Decision support system (DSS) tools

A set of tools and processes used to capture, collect, integrate, store, and analyze data to support business decision making.

OLAP

A set of decision support system (DSS) tools that use multidimensional data analysis techniques.

Unstructured data

Data that exists in its original, raw state; that is, in the format in which it was collected.

Structured data

Data that has been formatted to facilitate storage, use, and information generation in a predefined data model.

Semistructured data

Data that has already been processed to some extent.

Extensible Markup Language (XML)

A meta-language used to represent and manipulate data elements.

XML database

A database system that stores and manages semistructured XML data.

Social media

Web and mobile technologies that enable 'anywhere, anytime, always on' human interactions.

NoSQL

A new generation of database management systems that is not based on the traditional relational database model.

Database design

The process that yields the description of the database structure and determines the database components.

Data processing (DP) specialist

The person responsible for developing and managing a computerized file processing system.

Field

A character or group of characters (alphabetic or numeric) that has a specific meaning.

Record

A logically connected set of one or more fields that describes a person, place, or thing.

File

A collection of related records.

Structural dependence

A condition where changes in the database structure require changes in the application program.

Structural independence

A condition where changes in the database structure do not require changes in the application program.

Data type

A classification that specifies which type of value a field can hold.

Data dependence

A condition where data is dependent on the structure of the database.

Data independence

A condition where data is not dependent on the structure of the database.

Logical data format

The way data is organized and presented to users.

Physical data format

The way data is physically stored in the database.

Islands of information

A situation where data is scattered across various locations, making it difficult to access and analyze.

Data Redundancy

Exists when the same data is stored unnecessarily at different places.

Data Integrity

In a relational database, a condition in which the data in the database complies with all entity and referential integrity constraints.

Data Anomaly

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.

Database System

An organization of components that defines and regulates the collection, storage, management, and use of data in a database environment.

Data Dictionary

A DBMS component that stores metadata—data about data. Thus, the data dictionary contains the data definition as well as their characteristics and relationships.

Performance Tuning

Activities that make a database perform more efficiently in terms of storage and access speed.

Query Language

A nonprocedural language that is used by a DBMS to manipulate its data. An example of a query language is SQL.

Structured Query Language (SQL)

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.

Application Programming Interfaces (API)

Software through which applications interact with each other transmitting data, messages, status, etc. Also specifically software through which programmers interact with middleware.

Discipline-Specific Database

A database that contains data focused on a specific subject area.

General-Purpose Database

A database that contains a wide variety of data used in multiple disciplines.

Data Characteristic

A data characteristic in which changes in the database schema affect data access, thus requiring changes in all access programs.

Data Storage Characteristics

A data condition in which data representation and manipulation are dependent on the physical data storage characteristics.

Data Access Independence

A condition in which data access is unaffected by changes in the physical data storage characteristics.

Data View

The way a person views data within the context of a problem domain.

Data Representation

The way a computer 'sees' (stores) data.

Active Data Dictionary

A type of data dictionary that may include data that are external to the DBMS.

DBMS

Database Management System, software that interacts with end users, applications, and the database itself to capture and analyze data.

Data Manipulation

The process of managing and manipulating data within a database.

Database Administration

The tasks and processes involved in managing a database system.

Database Server Independence

The ability for client processes to operate independently of the database server.