Databases in the Real World – Practice Flashcards

These question-and-answer flashcards cover daily interactions with databases (illustrated by Carlos’s morning) and the strategic considerations businesses face when deciding whether to build, expand, or forgo a database system.

What are the three major types of systems today that make the heaviest everyday use of databases?

Artificial intelligence (AI), social media, and e-commerce.

When Carlos asks Alexa to play music, which two database tasks happen behind the scenes?

Alexa retrieves Carlos’s stored music preferences from a cloud database and matches his spoken words against a database of sound patterns to understand the request.

Which databases are cited as part of TikTok’s technology stack?

TikTok relies on MySQL, Mongo, ByteGraph, and other databases.

Which primary database technology underlies Google Maps traffic and routing services?

Bigtable.

What database system is mentioned for Siri’s coffee-ordering interaction at the local coffee shop?

Oracle Exadata database.

Which database does Carlos’s employer use to manage customer orders and global shipping?

PostgreSQL.

What immediate benefit did Carlos receive after completing his online math test through the LMS?

Instant feedback from the PostgreSQL-backed LMS showing that he scored 92%.

Why are databases especially valuable when many users, including customers, interact with a system?

Databases provide built-in security and privacy controls, allowing different permission levels for reading, inserting, updating, or deleting data.

List two reasons a business might choose to build a brand-new database.

• The existing database cannot be modified to meet new requirements.
• A new application must be built that cannot connect to the existing database.
(Also acceptable: the current database is at capacity and hardware upgrades would be too costly.)

List two reasons a business might avoid building a new database.

• The existing database can be adapted by adding a field or table.
• A simpler or cheaper tool (e.g., spreadsheet) can meet the need.
(Also acceptable: outsource to a third-party service, or only a new way to access existing data is required.)

Why might simply adding a newsletter-signup field to an e-commerce database be better than creating a new database?

It avoids redundancy, leverages existing infrastructure, and keeps all customer information in one place at lower cost.

What is a flat file in data-storage terminology?

A simple, non-relational file such as a spreadsheet that stores data in a single table without links to other tables.

For a very small mailing list, what spreadsheet-based alternative can replace a full database?

Maintaining the list in a spreadsheet and using the Mail Merge feature of an email application like Microsoft Outlook.

Besides providing data, what other key functions do databases serve for businesses?

Helping make decisions and tracking payments in and out.

What initial data-storage question must a company answer when rolling out new technology?

Whether to build a new database, expand an existing one, or avoid using a database altogether.

How can hardware and software capacity affect the decision to extend an existing database?

If the current database lacks storage space or processing power, adding new functions may require costly hardware upgrades or a separate database instead.