Write your registration number on all sheets of the answer book used.

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Database Management Systems Labs

Question & Answers

Instructions to Candidates:



Answer

ALL

questions in

Section A

and Any other

TWO

from

Section B.



Write your registration number on all sheets of the answer book used.



Use a NEW PAGE FOR EVERY QUESTION attempted, and indicate the

question number on the space provided on each page of the answer sheet.



Fasten together all loose answer sheets use.



Switch off all mobile phones and PDAs

Database Management Systems Labs

SECTION A:

COMPULSORY QUESTIONS

{30 MARKS}

QUESTION 1

a)

Define the following terms as used in DBMS.

(8 Marks)

(i)

Distributed database

A distributed database is a logically related set of databases

physically distributed at different sites but connected by a

network.

(ii)On-Line Transaction Processing (OLTP)

OLTP is online transaction processing, simple queries repeated

many times.

Supports operational aspects of the enterprise.

(iii)

On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP)

OLAP is online analytical processing, complex ad hoc queries

used to analyse

performance of the enterprise. Supports decision-

making/managerial aspects of

the enterprise.

(iv)

Data mining

Data mining is the use of analytical techniques from statistics,

AI etc. to extract

unsuspected patterns rules and relationships from large data

sets.

b)

Describe the

THREE

major benefits that a data warehouse is seen

to deliver for organisations.

(3 Marks)

Award 1 mark for each correct benefit description,up to a

maximum of 3 marks. An indicative answer

is provided below:

Page

1

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15

Database Management Systems Labs

•

A data warehouse provides a single manageable structure

for decision support data.

•

A data warehouse enables organisational users to run

complex queries on data that traverses a

number of business areas.

•

A data warehouse enables a number of business intelligence

applications such as on-line

analytical processing and data mining.

c)

Describe how a data warehouse differs from a data mart.

(3 Marks)

Award 1 mark for each point, up to a maximum of 3 marks.

Some indicative answers:

•

A data mart is essentially a small data warehouse.

•

It typically holds data for one business area rather than the

whole organisation.

d)

Briefly describe the following terms as used in DBMS:

i) Transactions

(2 Marks)

•

Events that cause changes in a database from one consistent

state to another consistent state.

•

Logical units of work.

Allocate 1 mark for each valid point, maximum 2 marks.

ii) Middleware

(2 Marks)

•

Software that interposes between client software and server

software

.

iii) QBE 2

•

Query-by-example

(2 Marks)

•

A forms based retrieval interface

Allocate 1 mark for each valid point, maximum 2 marks.

iv) Concurrency

(2 Marks)

•

The process by which simultaneous access to a database is

enabled for multiple users

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