Terms Flashcards
(321 cards)
Data
Data is numeric, textual, visual, or audio information that describes real-world systems.
analog
Historically, data was mostly analog, encoded as continuous variations on various physical media.
digital
Today, data is mostly digital, encoded as zeros and ones on electronic and magnetic media.
database
A database is a collection of data in a structured format. In principle, databases can be stored on paper or even clay tablets. In practice, however, modern databases are invariably stored on computers.
database system / database management system / DBMS
A database system, also known as a database management system or DBMS, is software that reads and writes data in a database. Database systems ensure data is secure, internally consistent, and available at all times. These functions are challenging for large databases with many users, so database systems are complex.
query language
A query language is a specialized programming language,
designed specifically for database systems.
database application
A database application is software that helps business users interact with database systems.
database administrator
A database administrator is responsible for securing the database system against unauthorized users. A database administrator enforces procedures for user access and database system availability.
database designer
A database designer determines the format of each data element and the overall database structure. Database designers must balance several priorities, including storage, response time, and support for rules that govern the data. Since these priorities often conflict, database design is technically challenging.
database programmer
A database programmer develops computer programs that utilize a database.
database user
A database user is a consumer of data in a database. Database users request, update, or use stored data to generate reports or information. Database users usually access the database via applications but can also submit queries directly to the database system.
transaction
A transaction is a group of queries that must be either completed or rejected as a whole. Execution of some, but not all, queries results in inconsistent or incorrect data.
architecture
The architecture of a database system describes the internal
components and the relationships between components.
query processor
The query processor interprets queries, creates a plan to modify the database or retrieve data, and returns query results to the application.
query optimization
The query processor performs query optimization to ensure the most efficient instructions are executed on the data.
storage manager
The storage manager translates the query processor instructions into low-level file-system commands that modify or retrieve data.
indexes
The storage manager uses indexes to quickly locate data.
transaction manager
The transaction manager ensures transactions are properly
executed.
log
The log is a file containing a complete record of all inserts, updates, and deletes processed by the database.
catalog / data dictionary
The catalog, also known as a data dictionary, is a directory of tables, columns, indexes, and other database objects.
relational database
A relational database stores data in tables, columns, and rows,
similar to a spreadsheet.
SQL
SQL stands for Structured Query Language and includes statements that read and write data, create and delete tables, and administer the database system.
big data
The growth of the internet in the 1990s generated massive volumes of online data, called big data, often with poorly structured or missing information.
NoSQL
The newer non-relational systems are called NoSQL, for ‘not only SQL’, and are optimized for big data.