1. The Hierarchy of Data
1.1. Fields
1.1.1. Field name
1.1.2. Field size
1.1.3. Data type
1.2. Files
1.2.1. A data file is a collection of related records
1.3. Records
1.3.1. A primary key uniquely identifies each record
1.4. Characters
1.4.1. Numbers, letters, space, punctuation marks, or other symbols
2. File Processing Versus Databases
2.1. The Database Approach
2.1.1. Programs and users share data
2.1.2. Reduce data redundancy
2.1.3. Improve data integrity
2.1.4. Share data
2.1.5. Allows easier access
2.1.6. Reduces development time
2.1.7. Can be more vulnerable
2.2. File Processing Systems
2.2.1. Each department has its own set of files
2.2.2. Used for many years
2.2.3. Have data redundancy
2.2.4. Isolate data
3. Relational, Object-Oriented, and Multidimensional Databases
3.1. Relational Database
3.1.1. A relational database stores data in tables that consist of rows and columns
3.1.1.1. Each row has a primary key
3.1.1.2. Each column has a unique name
3.2. Object-Oriented Databases (OODB)
3.2.1. An object-oriented database (OODB) stores data in objects
3.3. Multidimensional Databases
3.3.1. A multidimensional database can store data in more than two dimensions of data
3.3.1.1. Sometimes known as a hypercube
3.3.1.2. Can consolidate data much faster than a relational database
4. Database Administration
4.1. Database Design Guidelines
4.1.1. It is important to have a carefully designed database
4.2. Role of the Database Anaylsts and Administrators
4.2.1. Database analysts and administrators are responsible for managing and coordinating all database activities
4.3. Role of the Employee as a User
4.3.1. Employees should learn how to use the data in the database effectively
4.3.1.1. Interact with database
4.3.1.2. Identify new data for the database
4.3.1.3. Maintain the database
5. Databases, Data, and Information
5.1. Quality of Valuable Information
5.1.1. Accurate
5.1.2. Verifiable
5.1.3. Timely
5.1.4. Organized
5.1.5. Accessible
5.1.6. Useful
5.1.7. Cost-effective
5.2. Data Integrity
5.2.1. Garbage in, garbage out (GIGO) points out the accuracy of a computer’s output depends on the accuracy of the input
6. Maintaining Data
6.1. Validating Data
6.1.1. Validation compares data with a set of rules or values to find out if the data is correct
6.2. Deleting Records
6.2.1. When a record no longer is needed, a user deletes it from a file
6.3. Modifying Records
6.3.1. Users modify a record to correct inaccurate data or update old data
6.4. Adding Records
6.4.1. Users add new records to a file when they obtain new data
7. Database Management Systems
7.1. Data Dictionary
7.1.1. A data dictionary contains data about each file in the database and each field in those files
7.2. File Retrieval and Maintenance
7.2.1. A DBMS provides several tools that allow users and programs to retrieve and maintain data in the database
7.3. Backup and Recovery
7.3.1. A DMBS provides a variety of techniques to restore the database to a usable form in case it is damaged or destroyed
7.4. Data Security
7.4.1. A DBMS provides means to ensure that only authorized users access data at permitted times