03_09 Database Design

Question 1

A design philosophy that begins by identifying individual design components and then aggregates them into larger units.

In database design, the process begins by defining attributes and then groups them into entities.

Answer 1

bottom-up design

Question 2

The external limits to which any proposed system is subjected.

These limits include budgets, personnel, and existing hardware and software.

Answer 2

boundaries

Question 3

A process by which all database design decisions are carried out centrally by a small group of people.

Suitable in a top-down design approach when the problem domain is relatively small, as in a single unit or department in an organization.

Answer 3

centralized design

Question 4

A storage technique that stores related rows from two related tables in adjacent data blocks on disk.

Answer 4

clustered table

Question 5

The strength of the relationships between a module’s components.

Answer 5

cohesivity

Module cohesivity must be high.

Question 6

Tools used to automate part or all of the SDLC.

Answer 6

computer-aided systems engineering (CASE)

Question 7

A process that uses data-modeling techniques to create a model of a database structure that represents real-world objects as realistically as possible.

The design is both software- and hardware-independent.

Answer 7

conceptual design

Question 8

The process of database design and implementation.

Answer 8

database development

Question 9

A subset of a distributed database.

Answer 9

database fragment

Although the fragments may be stored at different sites within a computer network, the set of all fragments is treated as a single database. See also horizontal fragmentation and vertical fragmentation

Question 10

A cycle that traces the history of a database within an information system.

The cycle is divided into six phases: initial study, design, implementation and loading, testing and evaluation, operation and maintenence, and evolution.

Answer 10

Database Life Cycle (DBLC)

Question 11

A set of database privileges that could be assigned as a unit to a user or group.

Answer 11

database role

Question 12

A process in which conceptual design models subsets of an organization’s database requirements, which are then aggregated into a complete design.

Such modular designs are typical of complex systems with a relatively large number of objects and procedures.

Answer 12

decentralized design

Question 13

A document that provides a precise, detailed, up-to-date, and thoroughly reviewed description of the activities that define an organization’s operating environment.

Answer 13

description of operations

Question 14

A level of database backup in which only the last modifications to the database are copied.

Answer 14

differential backup

Question 15

A complete copy of an entire database saved and periodically updated in a separate memory location.

Answer 15

full backup (database dump)

A full backup ensures a full recovery of all data after a physial disaster or database integrity failure.

Question 16

A system that provides for data collection, storage, and retrieval.

It facilitates the transformation of data into information and manages both data and information.

Answer 16

information system (IS)

An IS is composed of hardware, the DBMS and other software, data-base(s), people, and procedures.

Question 17

A stage in the design phase that matches the conceptual design to the requirements of the selected DBMS and is therefore software dependent.

Answer 17

logical design

Logical design is used to translate the conceptual design into the internal model for a selected DBMS.

Question 18

All data elements required by database transactions must be defined in the model, and all data elements defined in the model must be used by at least one database transaction.

All that is needed is there, and all that is there is needed.

Answer 18

minimal data rule

Question 19

A design segment that can be implemented as an autonomous unit and is sometimes linked to produce a system.

Answer 19

module

Question 20

An IS component that handles a specific function.

Answer 20

module

Question 21

The extent to which modules are independent of one another.

Answer 21

module coupling

Question 22

A stage of database design that maps the data storage and access characteristics of a database.

Answer 22

physical design

Because these characteristics are a function of the types of devices supported by the hardware, the data access methods supported by the system physical design are both hardware- and software-dependent. See also physical model

Question 23

The part of a system that defines the extent of the design, according to operational requirements.

Answer 23

scope

Question 24

The process that establishes the need for an IS and its extent.

Answer 24

systems analysis

Question 25

The cycle that traces the history of an IS.

Answer 25

Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

The SDLC provides the big picture within which database design and application development can be mapped out and evaluated.

Question 25

The process of creating an IS.

Answer 25

systems development

Question 26

A design philosophy that begins by defining the main structures of a system and then moves to define the smaller units within those structures.

In database design, this process first identifies entities and then defines the attributes within the entities.

Answer 26

top-down design

Question 27

A backup of only the transaction log operations that are not reflected in a previous backup copy of the database.

Answer 27

transaction log backup

Question 28

A technique that creates logical representations of computing resources that are independent of the underlying physical computing resources.

Answer 28

virtualization