Databases - Exchanging Data

• Computing
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

Databases - Exchanging and Managing Data

Year 12 

Why are databases important?

What is 'Data Capture'?

Capturing Data 

Data needs to be input into the database and there are multiple methods of doing this. The chosen method is always dependent on the context.

For example, if you are conducting a survey, which requires pedestrian

participation, their responses will need to be entered manually.

Can you list all the 'Data Capture' methods that you think you know...

OCR (Optical Character Recognition)

OCR is a technology that allows computers to recognise printed or written text and convert it into digital text that can be edited and searched.  This method is often used to capture data from documents such as passports, driver's licenses, and invoices.

OCR software works by analysing the shapes and patterns of the characters in an image and matching them to a database of known characters.

How does OCR work with a database?

• OCR can work with databases in several ways. It can be used to extract data from physical documents, such as invoices or receipts, and then store that data in a database. This allows businesses to automate data entry tasks and streamline their workflows.

• Once the data has been stored in the database, it can be used for a variety of purposes, such as generating reports, automating billing, or analysing trends and patterns.

What do you think the advantages of using OCR are?

What does OCR stand for?

1. Optical Character Recognition
2. Optimum Character Recognition
3. Optimal Characterised Recognition
4. Optical Character Reader

What is OCR?

MICR - Magnetic Ink Character Recognition

It is a technology used to recognise characters printed with magnetic ink. MICR is commonly used in the banking industry for processing checks and other financial documents.

The characters are normally printed in a specific font known as the E-13B font.

How does MICR work with a database?

• MICR technology can work with databases in a similar way to OCR technology.

•  The MICR characters that are read from a check can be extracted and converted into digital text using software.

•  The extracted data can then be stored in a database for further processing and analysis.

What is a potential disadvantage of using MICR?

1. More secure financial transactions.
2. The cost of implementing the technology.
3. Improved check processing time.
4. Increased reading accuracy.

What is MICR?

OMR - Optical Mark Recognition

 It is a technology that allows computers to recognise human-made marks on a document and convert them into digital data. OMR technology is commonly used to process multiple-choice exams, surveys, and questionnaires.

The technology recognises the location and shape of marks on a document and converts them into digital data that can be used for analysis and processing.

How does OMR work with databases?

OMR technology can work with databases in a similar way to OCR and MICR technologies. The data extracted from the marks on a document can be converted into digital format and stored in a database for further processing and analysis.

What type of data does OMR process?

1. Handwriting recognition
2. Barcode reading
3. Checkboxes, bubbles, or fill-in-the-blank fields
4. Text recognition

What is OMR?

RFID - Radio Frequency Identification 

Radio Frequency Identification, which is a technology that allows for wireless communication between a tag or label and a reader using radio waves. RFID technology is used for a variety of applications.

How does RFID work with databases?

RFID technology can work with databases in a similar way to other data capture technologies such as OCR, MICR, and OMR.



When an RFID tag or label is scanned by an RFID reader, the reader sends the captured data to a software system that can process and store the data in a database. The software system can be used to identify the tagged object, animal, or person and link the RFID data to other relevant information in the database.

Selecting Data 

Selecting the correct data is an important part of data processing.


This could involve only selecting data that fits a certain criteria, to reduce the volume. For example, a camera catching speeding cars, will only select cars going above a certain speed. Background information will be removed, so only the number plate is added to the record. SQL can be used to do this (SELECT statements etc). SELECT * FROM 

Managing Data

Managing data in databases involves a range of activities and tasks to ensure the data is accurate, secure, and available for use by authorised users.

DBMS - Database Management Systems can be used to manage data (Microsoft Access)

Managing Data Continued...

Data security: It is important to protect the data from unauthorised access, modification, or deletion. This involves implementing access control, authentication, and encryption measures, and regularly reviewing security policies and procedures.

Data backup and recovery: It is important to have a backup and recovery plan in place to protect against data loss due to hardware failure, natural disasters, or other unforeseen events. This involves creating regular backups, testing recovery procedures, and ensuring backups are stored in a secure location.

What else do we need to consider when 'Managing' Data?

What do you think 'Record Locking' is?

What is 'Record Locking'?

Record locking is a technique used in database management systems to prevent multiple users from modifying the same record at the same time. When a user opens a record for editing, the record is locked for the duration of the edit session, preventing other users from modifying the same record until the lock is released.



Record locking is important in multi-user database environments because without it, multiple users could try to modify the same record simultaneously, leading to conflicts, lost updates, and inconsistencies in the data.

Redundancy 

In databases, redundancy refers to the duplication of data within the database. Redundancy can occur when the same data is stored in multiple tables or when the same data is repeated within a single table. Redundancy can lead to problems such as data inconsistencies and increased storage requirements.

Data inconsistencies can occur when the same data is updated in one location but not in another, leading to differences between the two locations. This can cause problems such as incorrect reports and incorrect data analysis. 

Exchanging Data

Exchanging Data is the process of transferring the collected data.

XML - Extensible Markup Language 

 JSON - JavaScript Object Notation

What are XML and JSON

• JSON has replaced XML. 
• Human Readable open formats for structuring data.
• Designed to transport data between systems.
• Both systems need to accept the format for it to work.

CSV - Comma Separated Value 

• Used for Exchanging data.
•  Each record is stored on a separate line in the file.
• Each field is separated by a comma.
• Many systems accept this format.

Manual Methods

Data can be transferred using Manual Methods:

• Memory Stick (USB)
• Email
• Removable HDD

EDI - Electronic Data Interchange

• Automatic Method

• EDI is the computer-to-computer exchange of business documents between companies in a standardised electronic format. EDI enables the exchange of documents such as purchase orders, invoices, and shipping notices, among others, without the need for human intervention or manual data entry.

• EDI can use FTP (File Transfer Protocol).

• Two databases are connected to each other and they can read/write to each others tables.

What is Transaction Processing?

Data transaction processing is a technique used in database systems to manage a large number of transactions (i.e., operations that modify or retrieve data) in a consistent and reliable manner. In data transaction processing, transactions are processed in a serial or parallel manner to ensure that they are completed accurately and efficiently.

Research:

• Beginning a transaction
• Executing a transaction
• Committing a transaction
• Rolling back a transaction

Question Time

How does transaction processing work with EDI

Transaction processing plays an important role in EDI by ensuring that transactions are completed accurately and efficiently. When an EDI transaction is initiated, it is sent to the recipient's computer system for processing. The recipient's system then checks the transaction for errors and processes it according to predefined rules.

What are the advantages of using Transaction Processing with EDI's?

ACID - Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability.

ACID is an acronym that stands for Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability. These are the four properties that a transaction should have to ensure data integrity and consistency in a database management system.

Atomicity

This property ensures that a transaction is treated as a single, indivisible unit of work. If a transaction contains multiple steps, either all the steps must be completed successfully or the entire transaction must be rolled back. This ensures that the database remains in a consistent state.

Cinema - You must select a seat, then pay, otherwise you go back to the start.

Consistency 

This property ensures that a transaction brings the database from one consistent state to another. If a transaction violates any of the integrity constraints defined for the database, the transaction is rolled back.

Bank example - If you take money from one account and transfer it to another. One bank must have money decreased, the other is increased.

Isolation 

This property ensures that each transaction is isolated from other transactions. Each transaction must operate on a snapshot of the database as it existed at the start of the transaction, and the effects of a transaction should not be visible to other transactions until the transaction is completed. This links to record locking.

Cinema - Whilst you are in that transaction with that seat, no one else can do it.

Durability

This property ensures that once a transaction is completed and committed, its effects on the database are permanent and survive system failures such as power outages, crashes, or errors. The database management system must ensure that the transaction is written to stable storage, such as a hard disk, before acknowledging the commit.

What can we do to ensure durability?

OCR

MICR

OMR

This works by analysing the shapes and patterns of the text within an image and then matching those shapes to a database of known characters

This technology is  used to recognise human-made marks on paper or other media and convert them into digital form that can be processed by a computer.

This technology is used to recognise characters printed with magnetic ink, typically on checks and other financial documents. 

What does the 'A' stand for in the ACID acronym?

1. Authenticity
2. Accuracy
3. Agility
4. Atomicity

What is data redundancy in databases?

1. Encrypting data in a database
2. Updating data in a database
3. Storing the same data multiple times
4. Deleting data from a database