BTEC 2012

Unit 1 The Online World

Name: Ben Canning

Lesson 11 Data Storage

(Student Book B Pg 18 - 21)

Starter What is meant by data storage?

Data storage covers all of the many ways in which data is held.
1. What is a database structure made out of?
A database is a system for managing a collection of data. Data about a particular type of thing. Eg
customers or products. You can think of a table as a grid. Every row in the table holds information about
a single item this is also called a record. Every column hold information about a property of the items in
the table, such as a customers name or items price. These properties are called fields.
2. Explain what is meant be each of the following terms.
Table
A table is a grid that has information in every row about a single item..
Record
In every column of the table contains information about a property of the items in the table such as a
customers name or and items price
Field
A field is what hold the information in the table like a customers name or the items price.
Relationship
All tables have a primary key on which they are organized. The primary key is the unique identifier of
each record in the table.
Data Type
There are four different types of data:
Text- Sequences of letters, numbers, and other symbols. Someones name would be a text field. A field
that can accept multi-line text is often called a memo field.
Number- represents a numerical value. A products price or the number of items left in stock would be
stored as numbers. This would enable you to produce a report which sums up the prices of all the
products you had sold, which wouldnt be possible if they were stored as text.
Date/Time- Stores dates or combination of dates and times.
Logical- represents a value that is either true or false. When a customer opens an account with an
online company, they might be asked whether they are happy to receive marketing material. Their
answer could be stored in a logical field.
3.
I.
II.
III.
IV.

Name the various data types that are used in databases.

Text
Number
Date/Time
Logical

Databases use relationships to link different tables together as shown below.

A.Silver

BTEC 2012
Unit 1 The Online World

Name: Ben Canning

4. What is a primary key?

A primary key is a unique identifier of each record in the table. The tables may themselves hold fields
which are primary keys in other tables.

5. What is a foreign key?

They are primary keys in other tables.

6. What kind of relationships can tables have between each other?

All tables have a primary key on which they are organized. The primary key is the unique identifier of
each record in the table.

Online databases are databases which are accessible using a network, including the internet.
They are very different to local databases as they have to be accessed, and possibly updated,
by millions of users. Normally these databases will have thousands of rows of information.
Usually information is found in online databases by using a search engine.
7. How might an online database be used?
Online databases are databases which are accessible using a network, including the internet. They are
very different to local databases as they have to be accessed and updated by millions of users. Normally
these databases will have thousands of rows of information.

8. What is a DBMS? What does it do?

Database management system is the program which allows you to create any database that you
need and to use the databases you have created.

I.

9. Name some common database management systems that are used:

Data Definition Language (DDL): This is the part which is used to define the database structure.

A.Silver

BTEC 2012
Unit 1 The Online World
II.
III.

Name: Ben Canning

Data Manipulation Language (DML): This is the part used to add, delete, change and query the
data which is held in the database structure.
SQL is the language that generates the code used by the DBMS.

Plenary What is the difference between a database and a database management system?
Database management systems are the programs which allows you to create any database that you
need and to use the database you have created. A database is a system for collecting data.

A.Silver