Deck 1: The Database Environment and Development Process

Question 1

All of the following are primary purposes of a database management system (DBMS) EXCEPT:

A) creating data.
B) updating data.
C) storing data.
D) providing an integrated development environment.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Because applications are often developed independently in file processing systems:

A) the data is always non-redundant.
B) unplanned duplicate data files are the rule rather than the exception.
C) data can always be shared with others.
D) there is a large volume of file I/O.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

With the database approach, data descriptions are stored in a central location known as a:

A) server.
B) mainframe.
C) PC.
D) repository.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Data that describe the properties of other data are:

A) relationships.
B) logical.
C) physical.
D) metadata.

Question 5

Relational databases establish the relationships between entities by means of common fields included in a file called a(n):

A) entity.
B) relationship.
C) relation.
D) association.

Question 6

________ are established between entities in a well-structured database so that the desired information can be retrieved.

A) Entities
B) Relationships
C) Lines
D) Ties

Question 7

Which organizational function should set database standards?

A) Management
B) Application development
C) Technical services
D) Database Administration

Question 8

According to a McKinsey Global Institute Report, in 2010 alone, global enterprises stored more than:

A) 1 terabyte of data.
B) 3 gigabytes of data.
C) at least 100 petabytes of data.
D) more than 7 billion exabytes of data.

Question 9

A user view is:

A) what a user sees when he or she looks out the window.
B) a table or set of tables.
C) a logical description of some portion of the database.
D) a procedure stored on the server.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of database systems?

A) Redundant data
B) Program-data independence
C) Better data quality
D) Reduced program maintenance

Question 11

Program-data dependence is caused by:

A) file descriptions being stored in each database application.
B) data descriptions being stored on a server.
C) data descriptions being written into programming code.
D) data cohabiting with programs.

Question 12

A database is an organized collection of ________ related data.

A) logically
B) physically
C) loosely
D) badly

Question 13

A major difference between data warehouses and transactional systems as compared to big data is:

A) the data is unstructured in big data systems.
B) the size of the CPU used.
C) the programming required to access data.
D) all of the above.

Question 14

Legacy systems often contain data of ________ quality and are generally hosted on ________.

A) poor; personal computers
B) excellent; mainframes
C) poor; mainframes
D) excellent; workgroup computers

Question 15

A graphical system used to capture the nature and relationships among data is called a(n):

A) XML data model.
B) hypertext graphic.
C) relational database.
D) data model.

Question 16

A person, place, object, event, or concept about which the organization wishes to maintain data is called a(n):

A) relationship.
B) object.
C) attribute.
D) entity.

Question 17

Database management involves all of the following EXCEPT:

A) collecting data.
B) organizing data.
C) design web pages.
D) managing data.

Question 18

A(n) ________ is often developed by identifying a form or report that a user needs on a regular basis.

A) enterprise view
B) reporting document
C) user view
D) user snapshot

Question 19

Metatdata typically describes all of the following EXCEPT:

A) data definitions.
B) length.
C) allowable values.
D) location on disk.

Question 20

________ is a tool even non-programmers can use to access information from a database.

A) ODBC
B) Structured query language
C) ASP
D) Data manipulation query language

Question 21

A rule that CANNOT be violated by database users is called a:

A) password.
B) constraint.
C) program.
D) view.

Question 22

The period that can be considered a "proof of concept" time was the:

A) 1950s.
B) 1960s.
C) 1970s.
D) 1990s.

Question 23

Which of the following is NOT a cost and/or risk of the database approach?

A) Specialized personnel
B) Cost of conversion
C) Improved responsiveness
D) Organizational conflict

Question 24

A centralized knowledge base of all data definitions, data relationships, screen and report formats, and other system components is called a(n):

A) index.
B) data warehouse.
C) repository.
D) database management system.

Question 25

The need for consensus on data definitions is an example of which type of risk in the database environment?

A) Specialized personnel needs
B) Organizational conflict
C) Conversion costs
D) Legacy systems

Question 26

A knowledge base of information or facts about an enterprise is called a(n):

A) enterprise information system.
B) repository.
C) systems information unit.
D) database process.

Question 27

The traditional methodology used to develop, maintain, and replace information systems is called the:

A) Enterprise Resource Model.
B) Systems Development Life Cycle.
C) Unified Model.
D) Systems Deployment Life Cycle.

Question 28

A departmental multi-tiered client/server database is stored on a central device called a:

A) client.
B) server.
C) remote PC.
D) network.

Question 29

Specifying how data from a logical schema are stored in secondary memory is part of the:

A) design.
B) maintenance.
C) analysis.
D) implementation.

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT an objective that drove the development and evolution of database technology?

A) The need to provide greater independence between programs and data.
B) The desire to manage increasing complex data types and structures.
C) The desire to require programmers to write all file handling functionality.
D) The need to provide ever more powerful platforms for decision support applications.

Question 31

Languages, menus, and other facilities by which users interact with the database are collectively called a(n):

A) client.
B) user interface.
C) icon.
D) development environment.

Question 32

The SDLC phase in which database processing programs are created is the ________ phase.

A) planning
B) design
C) analysis
D) implementation

Question 33

Which of the following is software used to create, maintain, and provide controlled access to databases?

A) Network operating system
B) User view
C) Database management system (DBMS)
D) Attribute

Question 34

The SDLC phase in which the detailed conceptual data model is created is the ________ phase.

A) planning
B) design
C) analysis
D) implementation

Question 35

Organizations that utilize the file processing approach spend as much as ________ of their IS development budget on maintenance.

A) 40 percent
B) 25 percent
C) 60 percent
D) 80 percent

Question 36

The SDLC phase in which every data attribute is defined, every category of data is listed, and every business relationship between data entities is defined is called the ________ phase.

A) planning
B) design
C) analysis
D) implementation

Question 37

E. F. Codd developed the relational model in the:

A) 1960s.
B) 1970s.
C) 1980s.
D) 1990s.

Question 38

Database development begins with ________, which establishes the range and general contents of organizational databases.

A) database design
B) cross-functional analysis
C) departmental data modeling
D) enterprise data modeling

Question 39

The most common source of database failures in organizations is:

A) lack of planning.
B) inadequate budget.
C) inadequate hardware.
D) failure to implement a strong database administration function.

Question 40

In a file processing environment, descriptions for data and the logic for accessing the data are built into:

A) application programs.
B) database descriptors.
C) fields.
D) records.

Question 41

A data warehouse derives its data from:

A) on-line transactions.
B) various operational data sources.
C) reports.
D) a data mart.

Question 42

Development starts from scratch with the traditional file processing approach because new file formats, descriptions, and file access logic must be designed for each new program.

Question 43

Determining the structure of data and the relationships between data elements either right before or at the time of use of the data is called:

A) tables on write.
B) schema on write.
C) on demand paging.
D) caching.

Question 44

________ do NOT concentrate on determining the requirements for the database component of an information system.

A) Database analysts
B) Systems analysts
C) Programmers
D) End Users

Question 45

The three-schema approach includes which of the following schemas?

A) Internal
B) Logical
C) Cross-functional
D) Dissecting

Question 46

Many of the disadvantages of file processing systems can also be limitations of databases.

Question 47

Metadata are data that describe the properties of other data.

Question 48

Organizations that utilize the file processing approach spend only 20 percent of development time on maintenance.

Question 49

A person is an example of an entity.

Question 50

An iterative methodology that rapidly repeats the analysis, design, and implementation phases of the SDLC is called:

A) CASE.
B) CAD.
C) RAD.
D) MST.

Question 51

The data that you are interested in capturing about an entity is called an instance.

Question 52

Databases were developed as the first application of computers to data processing.

Question 53

With the traditional file processing approach, each application shares data files, thus enabling much data sharing.

Question 54

One of the most popular RAD methods is:

A) automated design.
B) structured walkthrough.
C) prototyping.
D) crafting.

Question 55

A data model is a graphical system used to capture the nature and relationships among data.

Question 56

File processing systems have been replaced by database systems in most critical business applications today.

Question 57

Unplanned duplicate data files are the rule rather than the exception in file processing systems.

Question 58

A well-structured database establishes the entities between relationships in order to derive the desired information.

Question 59

________ specify computer systems requirements.

A) Programmers
B) Users
C) Systems analysts
D) Database analysts

Question 60

Information is processed data.

Question 61

Personal databases are designed to support a small group of individuals working together on a project.

Question 62

An enterprise data model describes the scope of data for only one information system.

Question 63

Data redundancy is used to establish relationships between data but is never used to improve database performance.

Question 64

A relational database establishes the relationships between entities by means of a common field.

Question 65

The user interface includes languages, menus, and other facilities by which users interact with various system components.

Question 66

Repositories are always used in file processing systems.

Question 67

Redundancy increases the risk of inconsistent data.

Question 68

The failure to implement a strong database administrative function is the most common source of database failures in organizations.

Question 69

A constraint is a rule in a database system that can be violated by users.

Question 70

A user view is how the user sees the data when it is produced.

Question 71

Database development begins with the design of the database.

Question 72

Data management technologies are also increasing often used as information systems, as a foundation for analytics or the systematic analysis of data to understand a real-world problem better.

Question 73

A modern database management system automates more of the backup and recovery tasks than a file system.

Question 74

The term legacy system refers to a newly installed database management system.

Question 75

One reason for improved application development productivity with the database approach is that file design and low-level implementation details do not need to be handled by the application programmer.

Question 76

Organizational commitment to a database project is not necessary for its success.

Question 77

Cost and complexity are just two of the disadvantages of database processing.

Question 78

Separation of metadata from application programs that use the data is called data independence.

Question 79

Reduced program maintenance is an advantage of file processing systems.

Question 80

The data repository assists database administrators in enforcing standards.