Topic 12 - Key Terms

Key Term Definition

A database function that provides tools to create data
entry forms and specialized programming languages that
application generation subsystem
interface or work with common and widely used
programming languages.
attribute A description or characteristic of a data field.
Data is collected over several periods, and then
batch processing
processed all at once as a “batch.”
character The most basic logical data element.
A structured part of a hierarchical or network database
child node
that represents a field or record.
Part of an object oriented database where similar objects
class
are grouped together.
An enormous database that an organization develops to
commercial database
cover particular subjects.
A design feature of a relational database where tables
common data item
must have a key field.
company database Databases companies create for their own use.
Facts or observations about people, places, things, and
data
events.
A function of database that helps users manage the
overall database, including maintaining security,
data administration subsystem
providing disaster recovery support, and monitoring the
overall performance of database operations.
data bank A proprietary database. (see also information utility)
Multiple dimensions of data in multidimensional
data cube database. Data can be viewed as a cube having three or
more sides.
data definition subsystem Defines the logical structure of the database.
A table that contains a description of the structure of
data dictionary
data in the database.
Database characteristics relating to the consistency and
data integrity
accuracy of data.
Involves adding new data, deleting old data, and editing
data maintenance
existing data.
A function of a database that provides tools for
data manipulation subsystem
maintaining and analyzing data.
A technique used to search databases to look for related
data mining
information and patterns.
Records for the same data entity may appear in different
data redundancy
files.
Data collected from a variety of internal and external
data warehouse
databases and stored in one location.
 An integrated collection of logically related records or
database
objects.
A person who uses database management software to
database administrator (DBA) determine the most efficient ways to organize and
access a company’s data.
database management system A program that allows a user to create, modify, and gain
(DBMS) access to a database.
An arrangement for data that is logically structured or
database model
arranged in a particular way.
A function of a DBMS that provides a bridge between
DBMS engine the logical view of the data and the physical view of the
data.
A database that is located in a place or places other than
distributed database
where users are located.
entity A person, place, thing, or object.
field A group of related characters.
Special hardware and software which controls access to
firewall
internet networks
Fields or records are structured in nodes in a one-to-
hierarchical database
many relationship.
A collection of integrated files primarily used by just
individual database
one person. (see also personal computer database)
information utility A proprietary database. (see also data bank)
A database has at least one distinctive field that uniquely
key field
identifies the record. (see also primary field)
A data perspective that focuses on the meaning and
logical view
content of the data.
The structure of a network database where the parent
many-to-many relationship can have more than one child node and each child node
may have more than one parent node.
A component of an object oriented database -
method
descriptions of how the data is to be manipulated.
A data model that include additional or multiple
multidimensional database
dimensions. (see also data cube)
A database structure that uses a many-to-many
network database
relationship.
node A field or record in a hierarchical or network database.
Items that contain both data and instructions to
object
manipulate the data.
A database that can store data as well as instructions to
object-oriented database manipulate the data, and is able to handle unstructured
data.
The structure of a hierarchical database where one
one-to-many relationship parent node can have many child nodes, but a child node
can have only one parent node.
 Data is processed at the same time the transaction
online processing
occurs. (see also real-time processing)
parent node A field or record in a hierarchical or network database.
A collection of integrated files primarily used by just
personal computer database
one person. (see also individual database)
A data perspective that focuses on the actual format and
physical view
location of the data.
Connectors between parent and child nodes in a
pointers
database structure.
A database has at least one distinctive field that uniquely
primary key
identifies the record. (see also key field)
Determining which people have access to what kinds of
processing rights
data in the database.
A database tool that supports viewing all or selected
query-by-example
parts of the data.
Data is processed at the same time the transaction
real-time processing
occurs. (see also online processing)
record A collection of related fields.
relation A table in a relational database.
A database structure where data elements are stored in
relational database different tables, each of which consists of rows and
columns.
A data dictionary that contains a description of the
schema
structure of data in the database.
structured query language (SQL) A specialized database programming language.
table A collection of related records.