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Introduction Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a Database Management System (DBMS)?

A

A DBMS is a computerized system that enables users to create and maintain a database.

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2
Q

What are the main purposes of Database Systems?

A

The main purposes include:
* View of Data
* Database Languages
* Relational Databases
* Database Design
* Data Storage and Querying
* Transaction Management
* Database Architecture
* Database Users and Administrators
* NoSQL
* Sharding

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3
Q

What are the key components of the Relational Model?

A

Key components include:
* Structure of Relational Databases
* Database Schemas
* Keys
* Schema Diagrams
* Relational Query Languages
* Relational Operations
* Relational Algebra – Fundamental Operations
* Formal Definition of Relational Algebra
* Extended Relational Algebra Operations

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4
Q

Define SQL.

A

SQL (Structured Query Language) is a language used for managing and manipulating relational databases.

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5
Q

What are some basic SQL operations?

A

Basic SQL operations include:
* Data Definition
* Data Types and Schemas
* Integrity Constraints
* Basic Structure of SQL Queries
* Set Operations
* Aggregate Functions
* Nested Subqueries
* Join Expressions
* Views
* Transactions

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6
Q

What is the purpose of Normalization in databases?

A

Normalization aims to reduce data redundancy and improve data integrity by organizing data into tables.

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7
Q

What are the properties of a good relational design?

A

Properties include:
* Atomic Domains
* First Normal Form
* Decomposition Using Functional Dependencies

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8
Q

What is the significance of indexing in databases?

A

Indexing improves the speed of data retrieval operations on a database.

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9
Q

What are the types of Transaction Management properties?

A

Transaction Management properties include:
* Atomicity
* Consistency
* Isolation
* Durability (ACID)

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10
Q

What is concurrency control in databases?

A

Concurrency control ensures that multiple users can access the database simultaneously without conflicts.

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11
Q

What are the drawbacks of using a file system?

A

Drawbacks include:
* Data Redundancy and Inconsistency
* Difficulty in accessing the data
* Data Isolation
* Integrity Problems
* Atomicity of Updates
* Concurrent access by multiple users
* Security problems

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12
Q

What does the term ‘self-describing nature’ of a Database System refer to?

A

It refers to the use of metadata, allowing the database to provide information about its structure and content.

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13
Q

What is meant by ‘data abstraction’ in databases?

A

Data abstraction is a characteristic that allows users to interact with data without needing to understand the underlying complexities.

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14
Q

What is the role of a database administrator?

A

A database administrator manages and maintains the database system, ensuring its availability, performance, and security.

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15
Q

Fill in the blank: A _______ is an executing program or process that includes one or more DB accesses.

A

transaction

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16
Q

True or False: A view in a database can be a subset of the database or contain virtual data.

A

True

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17
Q

What is the purpose of the Entity-Relationship Model in database design?

A

The Entity-Relationship Model is used to visually represent data entities and their relationships in a database.

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18
Q

What is a primary goal of data warehousing?

A

To extract and analyze business information.

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19
Q

What are the main actors involved in a database system?

A

Main actors include:
* Database Administrators
* Database Designers
* End-users

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20
Q

What does ACID stand for in database systems?

A

Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability

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21
Q

Who is responsible for administering database resources?

A

Database Administrator

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22
Q

What is the primary responsibility of a Database Administrator?

A

Authorizing access to the database, coordinating and monitoring its use

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23
Q

What are the primary resources managed by a Database Administrator?

A

DB (primary resource), DBMS and related software (secondary resource)

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24
Q

What is the role of a Database Designer?

A

Identifying the data to be stored and choosing structures to represent and store this data

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25
What is the responsibility of database designers regarding user requirements?
Communicate with prospective database users to understand their requirements
26
What types of end users occasionally access the database?
Casual End User
27
What is a key characteristic of a Casual End User?
Occasionally access the database and may need different information each time
28
What is a Naïve or Parametric End User's main job function?
Constantly querying and updating the database using standard queries and updates
29
What is a Sophisticated End User?
Engineers, scientists, business analysts familiarizing themselves with DBMS facilities
30
What do Standalone End Users maintain?
Personal databases using ready-made program packages
31
What do Software Engineers determine for end users?
Requirements of end users, especially naive and parametric end users
32
What is the role of Application Programmers?
Implement specifications as programs, test, debug, document, and maintain these transactions
33
What is the purpose of a DBMS?
Facilitate database system design and use, improve maintenance
34
What is one advantage of using a DBMS over a file system?
Controlling redundancy by storing data in one place
35
What is the security subsystem in a DBMS used for?
Creating accounts and specifying account restrictions
36
What is the backup and recovery subsystem responsible for?
Recovery from hardware or software failures
37
What type of database system provides capabilities for defining deduction rules?
Deductive database systems
38
What is a trigger in database systems?
A form of a rule activated by updates to a table that performs additional operations
39
Fill in the blank: The recovery subsystem ensures that the database is restored to the state it was in before the _______.
transaction started executing
40
What is the purpose of providing multiple user interfaces in a DBMS?
41
True or False: A Database Administrator is responsible for problems such as security breaches and poor system response time.
True
42
What is data normalization?
A method to control redundancy in the database approach
43
What are canned transactions?
Standard types of queries and updates that have been carefully programmed and tested
44
What do indexes in a database typically utilize?
Tree data structures or hash data structures
45
What is one function of the DBMS regarding program objects?
Providing persistent storage for program objects
46
What must the DBMS provide for efficient query processing?
Storage structures and search techniques
47
What is an important task of maintenance personnel in a DBMS?
Responsible for the actual running and maintenance of the hardware and software environment
48
What is the primary goal of restricting unauthorized access in a DBMS?
To ensure that most users do not have access to all information in the database
49
What is a stored procedure?
A part of the overall database definition invoked when certain conditions are met. ## Footnote Stored procedures allow for performing operations on tables and sending messages.
50
What does the physical level of database architecture describe?
How a record is stored, representing the lowest level of abstraction. ## Footnote This level deals with the actual data storage mechanisms.
51
What is the logical level in database architecture?
Describes data stored in the database and the relationships among the data.
52
What is the view level in database architecture?
The highest level of abstraction that describes only part of the entire database.
53
What is a data model?
A collection of tools for describing data, data relationships, data semantics, and data constraints.
54
List the types of data models.
* Relational model * Entity-Relationship data model * Object-based data models * Semi-structured data model * Network model * Hierarchical model
55
What is a relational model?
All data is stored in various tables.
56
What is the difference between logical schema and physical schema?
* Logical schema: overall logical structure of the database * Physical schema: overall physical structure of the database
57
What does physical data independence mean?
The ability to modify the physical schema without changing the logical schema.
58
What is Data Definition Language (DDL)?
Specification notation for defining the database schema.
59
What does the Data Manipulation Language (DML) do?
Accesses and updates the data organized by the appropriate data model.
60
What are the two types of Data Manipulation Language?
* Procedural DML * Declarative DML
61
What is SQL?
A nonprocedural query language used for accessing and manipulating databases.
62
True or False: SQL is a Turing machine equivalent language.
False.
63
What is the role of the storage manager in a database system?
Provides the interface between low-level data stored in the database and application programs.
64
What are the components of the storage manager?
* Authorization and integrity manager * Transaction manager * File manager * Buffer manager
65
What does the query processor do?
Handles the interpretation and execution of DDL and DML statements.
66
What is a transaction in database management?
A collection of operations that performs a single logical function.
67
What is the function of the concurrency-control manager?
Controls the interaction among concurrent transactions to ensure database consistency.
68
List the types of database architectures.
* Centralized * Client-server * Parallel * Distributed
69
What is a two-tier architecture in database applications?
The application resides at the client machine and invokes database system functionality at the server machine.
70
What is a three-tier architecture in database applications?
The client machine acts as a front end and communicates with an application server, which accesses the database.
71
What is NoSQL?
A database that provides a mechanism for storage and retrieval of data, modeled in ways other than tabular relations.
72
What is a NoSQL database?
A database that provides a mechanism for storage and retrieval of data not modeled in tabular relations.
73
How do NoSQL databases differ from relational databases?
NoSQL databases do not require a fixed schema, avoid joins, and are easy to scale.
74
What is the purpose of using a NoSQL database?
For distributed data stores, big data, and real-time web applications.
75
What does NoSQL stand for?
"Not Only SQL" or "Not SQL."
76
What types of data can NoSQL databases store?
* Structured * Semi-structured * Unstructured * Polymorphic
77
What are the characteristics of non-relational NoSQL databases?
They never follow the relational model, do not provide tables with fixed-column records, and work with self-contained aggregates.
78
What does schema-free mean in the context of NoSQL databases?
NoSQL databases do not require any sort of definition of the schema of the data.
79
List the types of NoSQL databases.
* Key-value store * Tabular * Document-based * Graph-based
80
Give examples of key-value store databases.
* Memcached * Redis * Coherence
81
Name a document-based NoSQL database.
MongoDB
82
What is sharding in NoSQL databases?
Distributes a single logical database system across a cluster of machines.
83
How does sharding distribute documents?
Uses range-based partitioning based on a specific shard key.
84
True or False: NoSQL databases require object-relational mapping.
False
85
What is the benefit of sharding in NoSQL?
Automatically balances the data associated with each shard.
86
What are some document-based NoSQL databases?
* CouchDB * Cloudant
87
What is the significance of avoiding joins in NoSQL databases?
It simplifies data retrieval and enhances performance.
88
Fill in the blank: NoSQL databases can store data in _______ structures.
heterogeneous
89
What is a characteristic of traditional RDBMS?
Uses SQL syntax to store and retrieve data.
90
What does ACID stand for in the context of databases?
Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability.

DBMS (1 decks)

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