Database Concepts and Data Types: Key Principles for Students

Data

Raw, unprocessed facts without context.

Information

Data that has been processed and given context.

Structured Data

Data organized in rows and columns, such as grades in Excel.

Unstructured Data

Data that does not have a fixed format, such as Facebook memes.

Metadata

Data that provides information about other data, such as author and date info.

Data inconsistency

A problem that occurs when one file is updated while another remains outdated.

Database Management System (DBMS)

A system that allows multiple departments to share a single database.

Redundancy

The presence of duplicate files in a file system.

Centralized security

A feature of a DBMS that enhances data protection by managing access from a single point.

Database application functions

Processes such as collecting orders, retrieving tracking information, and updating inventory.

Hierarchical Database

A database type that stores data in a tree-like structure, used in banking systems.

Relational Database

A database type that organizes data into tables, used by Lazada for products and orders.

NoSQL Database

A database type that handles unstructured data, such as Facebook posts.

Commercial/Relational Database

A database type used for managing business transactions, like supplier purchases.

Personal/End-User Database

A database type designed for individual use, such as MS Access for teachers.

Distributed Database

A database type that spreads data across multiple locations, like Google Spanner.

Cloud Database

A database type that is hosted on cloud services, such as AWS RDS for SaaS apps.

Time-Series Database

A database type that tracks data changes over time, such as stock market prices.

Database Environment

The overall setup that includes hardware, software, people, and procedures for managing a database.

Casual End User

A user who interacts with a database infrequently, such as a school principal.

Naïve/Parametric User

A user who performs simple operations on a database, such as a bank teller.

Sophisticated User

A user who writes complex queries to analyze data, such as a data analyst.

Stand-Alone User

A user who operates a database independently, such as a teacher using MS Access.