Chapter 16: Database Administration and Security

An enterprise database can be defined as the company's data representation that provides support for all present and expected future operations.

(True/False)

True

Having a computerized DBMS guarantees that the data will be properly used to provide the best solutions required by managers.

(True/False)

False

The DBA interacts with the end user by providing data and information support services to the organization's departments.

(True/False)

True

In the context of database administration, standards are written instructions that describe a series of steps to be followed during the performance of a given activity.

(True/False)

False

The security, privacy, and integrity of data in a database are of minimal concern to DBAs who manage current DBMS installations.

(True/False)

False

Disaster management includes all the end-user activities designed to secure data availability before a physical disaster or a database integrity failure.

(True/False)

False

A full backup, or database dump, produces a complete copy of the entire database.

(True/False)

True

Incremental backups produce a backup of all data.

(True/False)

False

Concurrent backups take place while the user is working on the database.

(True/False)

True

Backups must be clearly identified through detailed descriptions and date information, assuring that the correct backup is used to recover the database.

(True/False)

True

The storage locations for multiple backups must include sites inside and outside the organization.

(True/False)

True

The DBA or security officer must secure an insurance policy to provide financial protection in the event of a database failure.

(True/False)

True

The DBA is responsible for ensuring that the data are distributed to the right persons, at the right time, and in the right format.

(True/False)

True

The DBA must supervise the installation of all software and hardware designated to support the data administration strategy.

(True/False)

True

The DBA function provides data modeling and design services to the end-user community, often through coordination with an application development group within the data-processing department.

(True/False)

True

Testing procedures and standards must already be in place before any application program can be approved for use in the company.

(True/False)

True

System support activities cover all tasks directly related to the day-to-day operations of a DBMS and its applications.

(True/False)

True

A security breach is a weakness in a system component that could be exploited to allow unauthorized access or cause service disruptions.

(True/False)

False

A security vulnerability is a collection of standards and policies created to guarantee the security of a system and ensure auditing and compliance.

(True/False)

False

A passive data dictionary is one that is updated automatically with every database access to keep its access information up to date.

(True/False)

False

In the context of the data-information-decision cycle, decisions made by high-level managers trigger actions in an organization's:

lower levels

At the level of middle management, the database must be able to provide _____.

data necessary for tactical decisions and planning

When introducing a database into an organization, the database approach creates a more controlled and structured information flow and thus affects people, functions, and interactions. This leads to a(n) _____ impact of the new database system.

cultural

The person responsible for the control of the centralized and shared database is the database _____.

administrator

Database administration operations are commonly defined and divided according to the phases of the _____.

DBLC

A data administrator is also known as a(n) _____.

information resource manager

The _____ administrator is responsible for strategic planning.

data

Coordinating, monitoring, and allocating database administration resources is included in a DBA's _____ role.

managerial

_____ are more detailed and specific than policies and describe the minimum requirements of a given DBA activity.

Standards

"All users must have passwords" is an example of a _____.

policy

"A password must have a minimum of five characters" is an example of a _____.

standard

Instructions to create a password are an example of a _____.

procedure

In the context of data backup and recovery, the activities of a _____ includes the DBA operations that are classified as disaster management.

database security officer

Which of the following is a reason why a DBMS's daily operations must be clearly documented?

Documentation of the daily operations help pinpoint causes and solutions of database problems.

A(n) _____ plan is a set of instructions generated at application compilation time that predetermines how the application will connect to and communicate with the database at run time.

access

_____ activities cover all tasks directly related to the day-to-day operations of the DBMS and its applications.

System support

_____ deals with ensuring that data is protected against unauthorized access, and if the data are accessed by an authorized user, that the data are used only for an authorized purpose.

Confidentiality

_____ security breaches include database access by computer viruses and by hackers whose actions are designed to destroy or alter data.

Corrupting

When performing user access management, a DBA defines each user to the database at the _____ levels.

operating system and DBMS

User-access management is a subset of _____.

authorization management

In the context of database usage monitoring, a(n) _____ is a file that automatically records a brief description of the database operations performed by all users.

audit log

A(n) _____ data dictionary is automatically updated by the DBMS with every database access.

active

A(n) _____ data dictionary is not updated automatically and usually requires a batch process to be run.

passive

_____ CASE tools provide support for the planning, analysis, and design phases.

Front-end

_____ CASE tools provide support for the coding and implementation phases.

Back-end

The _____ component of a CASE tool produces the information system's input/output formats.

screen painter and report generator

_____ allows for the translation of the company's strategic goals into the data and applications that will help the company achieve those goals.

Information engineering (IE)

In the context of developing a data administration strategy, a(n) _____ provides a framework that includes computerized, automated, and integrated tools such as a DBMS and CASE tools.

information systems architecture

A(n) _____ is a logical storage area in Oracle.

tablespace

One of the important functions provided by the database _____ is to reserve the resources that must be used by the database at run time.

initialization parameters

In the context of data quality management tools, _____ software is one that gathers statistics, analyzes existing data sources and metadata to determine patterns, and compares the patterns against standards that the organization has defined.

data-profiling

In the context of an organization's managerial structure, _____ decisions are short term and affect only daily operations - for example, deciding to change the price of a product to clear it from inventory.

operational

In the context of database administration, _____ is the extent to which individuals and organizations have the right to determine the "who, what, when, where, and how" of data usage.

privacy

The _____ aspect of introducing a DBMS in an organization deals with hardware and software changes in the organization.

technological

In the context of the advancements in DBMS technology, the use of _____ data services can free the DBA from many lower-level technology-oriented tasks.

cloud

In case a company installs several incompatible databases and assigns a DBA for each of them, the general coordinator of all such DBAs is known as the _____ administrator.

systems

The _____, also known as the information resource manager (IRM), usually reports directly to top management and is given a higher degree of responsibility and authority than the DBA, although the two roles can overlap.

data administrator

Based on the type of decision-making support required, database users may be classified into: operational, tactical, or _____.

strategic

The DSO's activities are often classified as _____ management, which includes all DBA activities designed to ensure data availability following a physical calamity or a database integrity failure.

disaster

In the context of ensuring integrity of a database, a(n) _____ transaction is one that does not overload the DBMS.

Efficient

The DBA must review the database application design to ensure that transactions are _____, meaning that they mirror real-world events.

correct

Performance monitoring and _____ activities are designed to ensure that the DBMS, utilities, and applications maintain satisfactory performance levels.

tuning

Within the data security framework, _____ is concerned with keeping data consistent and free of errors or anomalies.

integrity

A security _____ is a weakness in a system component that could be exploited to allow unauthorized access or cause service disruptions.

vulnerability

A(n) _____ physically stores the database's data.

datafile

In the context of Oracle Enterprise Manager, a(n) _____ is a uniquely identifiable object that allows a given person to log on to the database.

user

In the context of Oracle Enterprise Manager, a(n) _____ is a named collection of database access privileges that authorize a user to connect to the database and use its system resources.

role

In the context of Oracle Enterprise Manager, a(n) _____ is a named collection of settings that control how much of the database resource a given user can access.

profile

In the context of Oracle Enterprise Manager, "CONNECT" allows a user to connect to the database and then create and modify tables, views, and other data-related objects. This is an example of a(n) _____.

role

Each database has an associated _____ file that is read at instance startup, stores run-time configuration parameters, and is used to set the working environment for the database.

initialization