Database Concepts and Data Types: Key Principles for Students

Data

Raw, unprocessed facts without context or meaning.

Information

Data that has been given context, making it meaningful.

Structured Data

Data organized in a fixed format, such as rows and columns in a database.

Unstructured Data

Data that does not have a predefined format, such as social media posts.

Metadata

Data that provides information about other data.

Data inconsistency

A problem that occurs when different files contain conflicting information.

Database Management System (DBMS)

Software that allows multiple users to manage and interact with a shared database.

Redundancy

The presence of duplicate data across multiple files or systems.

Centralized security

A security model where access control is managed from a single point.

Database application functions

Functions such as collecting, retrieving, and updating data within a database.

Hierarchical Database

A database structure that organizes data in a tree-like format.

Relational Database

A database that stores data in tables and allows relationships between them.

NoSQL Database

A database designed to handle large volumes of unstructured data.

Commercial / Relational Database

A relational database used for business applications.

Personal / End-User Database

A database designed for individual users or small groups.

Distributed Database

A database that is spread across multiple locations or servers.

Cloud Database

A database that is hosted on a cloud computing platform.

Time-Series Database

A database optimized for storing and querying time-stamped data.

Casual End User

An individual who interacts with a database infrequently and with limited knowledge.

Naïve/Parametric User

A user who interacts with a database using predefined queries.

Sophisticated User

A user who is skilled in querying databases and analyzing data.

Stand-Alone User

A user who manages their own database independently.