Database and Data Management Basics: DBMS, Data Warehousing and Data Mining (Overview) Questions

Question 1

Define database.

Accepted Answer

A **database** is an organized collection of related data stored in a structured way for easy access and updating.

Question 2

What is DBMS?

Accepted Answer

**DBMS (Database Management System)** is software used to create, store, manage and retrieve data from a database.

Question 3

Define data warehouse.

Accepted Answer

A **data warehouse** is a centralized store of integrated historical data mainly used for **analysis and reporting**.

Question 4

What is data mining?

Accepted Answer

**Data mining** is the process of discovering useful patterns and insights from large datasets.

Question 5

What is a primary key?

Accepted Answer

A **primary key** is a field that uniquely identifies each record in a table (e.g., CustomerID).

Question 6

Give one example of data mining application.

Accepted Answer

Example: **fraud detection** in banking transactions.

Question 7

Explain functions of DBMS (any three).

Accepted Answer

DBMS functions (any three):
- **Data storage & retrieval** (insert, update, search)
- **Security/access control** (authorization)
- **Backup and recovery** (restore after failure)
- **Data integrity** (constraints to reduce errors)
- **Concurrency control** (multiple users safely)

(Write any three.)

Question 8

Explain advantages of DBMS in MIS (any three points).

Accepted Answer

Advantages (any three):
- reduces **data redundancy** and improves consistency
- improves data **security** and access control
- provides faster reporting for decision making
- improves data quality through constraints/validation
- supports multiple users and departments

Thus, DBMS improves reliability of MIS reports.

Question 9

Differentiate between database and data warehouse (any three differences).

Accepted Answer

Database vs Data warehouse:
- **Purpose**: Database = daily transactions; Warehouse = analysis/reporting.
- **Data type**: Database = current operational data; Warehouse = historical integrated data.
- **Users**: Database = operational users; Warehouse = analysts/managers.

Hence, warehouse supports decision making and BI.

Question 10

Explain data mining and its applications (any three).

Accepted Answer

Data mining finds patterns/insights.

Applications (any three):
- **customer segmentation**
- **market basket analysis** (products bought together)
- **fraud detection**
- sales forecasting and churn prediction

It helps managers take data-driven decisions.

Question 11

Differentiate between data warehousing and data mining (any three differences).

Accepted Answer

Data warehousing vs Data mining:
- **Meaning**: warehousing = storing integrated historical data; mining = discovering patterns/insights from data.
- **Purpose**: warehousing supports reporting/BI; mining supports prediction/decision support.
- **Output**: warehouse gives consolidated datasets; mining gives rules/patterns (e.g., association, clusters).

Thus, warehousing prepares data and mining extracts knowledge from it.

Question 12

Explain the need for backup and recovery in DBMS (any three points).

Accepted Answer

Backup and recovery are needed because:
- prevents permanent data loss due to **hardware/software failure**
- helps restore data after **accidental deletion** or corruption
- supports business continuity after cyber incidents or power issues
- ensures reports and operations can continue with minimum downtime

Hence, regular backups + recovery plans protect the organization’s data assets.

Question 13

Explain database, data warehouse and data mining with a comparison table and flowchart.

Accepted Answer

### **Database vs Data Warehouse vs Data Mining**

| Item | Focus | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| **Database** | current structured data | day-to-day operations (TPS) |
| **Data warehouse** | integrated historical data | reporting and BI |
| **Data mining** | pattern discovery | insights, prediction, decision support |

```text
Transactions → Database/DBMS → Data warehouse → Data mining/BI → Decisions
```

Thus, database stores operational data, warehouse organizes historical data, and mining extracts insights for better decisions.

Question 14

Explain the concept of keys and relationships in DBMS with examples (use a table/diagram).

Accepted Answer

### **Keys and Relationships in DBMS**

Keys help identify records and connect tables.

| Concept | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| **Primary key** | unique identifier in a table | CustomerID in Customer table |
| **Foreign key** | field that references a primary key | CustomerID in Orders table |

Example relationship:
- One customer can have many orders (**one-to-many**).

```text
Customer(CustomerID PK) 1 ──── * Orders(OrderID PK, CustomerID FK)
```

Thus, keys and relationships reduce duplication and keep data consistent across tables.

Question 15

Explain data security and backup in DBMS with a flowchart/table (basics).

Accepted Answer

### **Data Security and Backup in DBMS (Basics)**

Data security ensures only authorized users can access/modify data, and backup ensures recovery after failure.

| Control | Purpose |
|---|---|
| **Authentication** | verify user identity (password/MFA) |
| **Authorization** | role-based permissions |
| **Audit trail** | track changes (who changed what) |
| **Backup** | copies to prevent data loss |
| **Recovery** | restore database after crash |

```text
Access request → Authenticate → Authorize → Allow/Block
                  ↓
Regular backups → Failure/crash → Recovery → Normal operations
```

Hence, security + backup protect data and ensure continuity of MIS reporting.

Database and Data Management Basics: DBMS, Data Warehousing and Data Mining (Overview)

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