database

Structured information store

A database is an organized collection of information stored electronically for easy access and retrieval.

Databases underlie most modern software—from banking systems to social media platforms.

The term often refers specifically to relational databases, which organize data into linked tables.

The customer database crashed and we lost three months of records.

structure

schema

Organized representational structure

tablesFlat-topped furniture pieces
relationshipsLinks between individuals
normalizationAdjusting to a standard

entities · attributes · index · SQL · query · relational · NoSQL · joins · views · columns

analytics

query

Request for information

miningExtracting earth's resources
patternsRecurring arrangements or designs
insightsPenetrating understandings gained

predictive · reporting · visualization · business intelligence · dashboard · aggregation · filtering · sorting · pivot · drill-down

storage

backup

Stored duplicate for recovery

capacityMaximum amount containable
cloudAtmospheric water vapor mass
datacenterFacility housing networked computers

disk · server · SSD · RAID · redundancy · replication · archive · tape · NAS · SAN

records

entries

Items logged or submitted

catalogOrdered list of items
documentationWritten proof or instructions
inventoryCatalog of held assets

ledger · index · registry · transactions · logs · audit trail · timestamps · versioning · CRUD · insert

types

relational

Concerning connections between things

SQLDatabase manipulation language
NoSQLSchema-free database systems
graphVisual data display

document · key-value · columnar · time-series · in-memory · distributed · object-oriented · hierarchical · MySQL · Oracle

administration

DBA

Operating under another name

permissionsOfficial allowances granted
securityProtection from threat
authenticationConfirming genuine identity

access control · maintenance · optimization · monitoring · indexing · migration · import · export · integrity · validation

Categories

informationfacts, details, knowledge, intel, info
classificationcategory, classification, group, cataloging, grouping
Datamicrodata, measurements, statistics, variables, observations
processingprocessing, batch processing, parallel processing, real-time processing, image processing
collecting & organizingcollect, gather, organize, arrange, collate
digital filesfile, audio file, files, document, backup file

Opposites

data organization

databasedata dump

raw data · chaos · spreadsheet · flat file · loose papers

information persistence

databaseoral tradition

Culture passed by speech

volatile memory · hearsay · blank slate · void · emptiness

technological sophistication

databasefiling cabinet

Furniture for organized papers

handwritten notes · card catalog · ledger · notebook · pen and paper

Phrases

DNA databaseStored collection of genetic profiles
database errorFailed information system operation
online databasesInternet-hosted searchable information systems
database breachUnauthorized access to stored records
library databaseSearchable index of collections
database managementOrganizing stored digital information

Family

databases, databanks, databank, database management

Familiarity: Top 20,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G