Chapter 6 - Questions-Answers
Chapter 6 - Questions-Answers
DBMS so powerful?
The principal capabilities of a DBMS include a data definition capability, a data dictionary capability, and
a data manipulation language. The data definition capability specifies the structure and content of the
database. The data dictionary is an automated or manual file that stores information about the data in
the database, including names, definitions, formats, and descriptions of data elements. The data
manipulationlanguage, such as SQL, is a specialized language for accessing and manipulating the data in
the database.
The relational database has been the primary method for organizing and maintaining data in
information systems because it is so flexible and accessible. It organizes data in two-dimensional tables
called relations with rows and columns. Each table contains data about an entity and its attributes.
Each row represents a record, and each column represents an attribute or field. Each table also contains
a key field to uniquely identify each record for retrieval or manipulation. Relational database
tables can be combined easily to deliver data required by users, provided that any two tables share a
common data element. Non-relational databases are becoming popular for managing types of data that
can’t be handled easily by the relational data model. Both relational and non-relational database
products
are available as cloud computing services. A distributed database is one that is stored in multiple
Designing a database requires both a logical design and a physical design. The logical design models
the database from a business perspective. The organization’s data model should reflect its key business
processes and decision-making requirements. The process of creating small, stable, flexible, and
adaptive data structures from complex groups of data when designing a relational database
is termed
normalization. A well-designed relational database will not have many-to-many relationships, and all
attributes for a specific entity will only apply to that entity. It will try to enforce referential integrity
rules to ensure that relationships between coupled tables remain consistent. An entity-relationship
diagram graphically depicts the relationship between entities (tables) in a relational database.
6-3 What are the principal tools and technologies for accessing information from databases to improve
Contemporary data management technology has an array of tools for obtaining useful information
from all the different types of data used by businesses today, including semi-structured and
unstructured
big data in vast quantities. These capabilities include data warehouses and data marts, Hadoop,
in-memory computing, and analytical platforms. OLAP represents relationships among data as a
multidimensional
structure, which can be visualized as cubes of data and cubes within cubes of data,
enabling more sophisticated data analysis. Data mining analyzes large pools of data, including the
contents of data warehouses, to find patterns and rules that can be used to predict future behavior and
guide decision making. Text mining tools help businesses analyze large unstructured data sets consisting
of text. Web mining tools focus on analysis of useful patterns and information from the web, examining
the structure of websites and activities of website users, as well as the contents of web pages.
Conventional databases can be linked via middleware to the web or a web interface to facilitate user
6-4 Why are information policy, data administration, and data quality assurance essential for managing
Developing a database environment requires policies and procedures for managing organizational
data as well as a good data model and database technology. A formal information policy governs the
maintenance, distribution, and use of information in the organization. In large corporations, a formal
data administration function is responsible for information policy as well as for data planning, data
Data that are inaccurate, incomplete, or inconsistent create serious operational and financial problems
for businesses because they may create inaccuracies in product pricing, customer accounts, and
inventory data and lead to inaccurate decisions about the actions that should be taken by the firm.
Firms must take special steps to make sure they have a high level of data quality. These include using
enterprise-wide data standards, databases designed to minimize inconsistent and redundant data, data