Data Management and Databases

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture notes on data management and databases.

Manual Data Management Era

Data stored in physical paper files with paper-based records, ledgers, and manual bookkeeping.

Electronic Data Processing

Relied on punch cards and magnetic tape for data storage; more efficient than paper records.

Database Management System (DBMS)

The concept of storing, structuring, and manipulating information independently of a specific machine.

Relational Database

A database that organizes data into tables with well-defined relationships in rows and columns.

Data Warehouse

Centralized repository that stores integrated data from multiple sources for analysis and decision-making.

Data Schema

The physical structure or blueprint that implements the data model, describing exactly how data are stored.

Database Model

The logical structure of how data is stored, organized, and manipulated.

Field Names (Columns)

Represent attributes of entities in a database table.

Records (Rows)

Represent an individual instance of data in a database table, uniquely identified by a primary key.

Fields (Columns)

Define the structure of a table by specifying the type of data each entry will hold.

Tables (Relations)

Represent an entity and are made up of a set of records and fields that hold the data.

Primary Key (PK)

Uniquely identifies a row in a table, can be single column or composite keys.

Foreign Key

Column in one table that refers to the primary key of another table, establishing a link between the tables.

Conceptual Data Model

High-level and abstract model that identifies entities and relationships.

Logical Data Model

More detailed model that includes entities, attributes, primary and foreign keys, and relationships, independent of a specific DBMS.

Physical Data Model

Describes how data will be physically stored, including table names, column types, field sizes, indexing, and constraints, tailored to a specific database system.

Data Normalization

Refinement process and a systematic approach to restructuring data in a database to eliminate data redundancy.

Dimensional Modeling

Design approach used in data warehousing that structures data for easy querying and analysis, revolving around facts and dimensions.

Star Schema

Simplest and most commonly used model in data warehousing for faster query performance and simplicity.

Snowflake Schema

More complex variant where dimension tables are normalized into sub-tables, reducing redundancy but increasing complexity.

Top-Down Approach

Building a complete enterprise data warehouse first to ensure consistency and integration across departments.

Bottom-Up Approach

Data marts are created first and then combined into one all-inclusive data warehouse.

Staging Area

Temporary storage area used during the ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) process for data warehousing.

Data Storage Layer

Stores data that has been extracted and transformed, typically in a centralized location such as a data warehouse.

Data Hierarchy

Different levels at which data is organized, ranging from the smallest individual unit to the largest system.