What is Data Dictionary

From a general information technology technical perspective, a data dictionary is a set of metadata which contains the definition and representation of data elements. From the perspective of a database management system, a data dictionary is a set of table and views which can only be read and never altered. Sponsored Links When implementing a data warehouse which is management by a relational database management system, it is a requirement to have a data dictionary. The benefit of having a data dictionary is that data items will always be consistent wherever tables within the database enterprise they may be stored. For instance, several telephone numbers may be stored in different tables in different locations. It is a known fact there telephone numbers are being written down in different ways by different people. With a data dictionary, the format of the telephone number within the whole organization will always be the same, and hence consistency is maintained. Most data dictionaries contain different information about the data used in the enterprise. In terms of the database representation of the data, the data table defines all schema objects including views, tables, clusters, indexes, sequences, synonyms, procedures, packages, functions, triggers and many more. This will ensure that all these things follow one standard defined in the dictionary. The data dictionary also defines how much space has been allocated for and / or currently in used by all the schema objects. Other information defined in a typical data dictionary which is related to database implementation also include default values for database columns, names of the database users, the users privileges and limitations, database integrity constraint information, and many other general information. A data dictionary is in fact a database implementation as well as they contain data information about data. It is typically structured in tables and views just like other data in a database. Most data dictionaries are central to a database and are very important tool for kinds of users from the data consumers to application designers to database developers and administrators. A data dictionary is used when finding information about users, objects, schema and storage structures. Every time a data definition language (DDL) statement is issued, the data dictionary becomes modified. Organizations that are trying to develop an enterprise wide data dictionary need to have representational definition for data elements and semantics. Semantics refer to the aspects of meaning expressed in language. In the same manner, an enterprise wide data dictionary semantics component focuses on creating a precise meaning of the data elements. Representational definition, on the other hand, defines the way

that data elements are being stored in the computer such as data types including string, integers, floats, double or data formats. Sponsored Links Glossaries are similar to data dictionaries except that glossaries are less precise and contain only terms and definitions not very detailed representations of data structures. Data dictionaries may initially start with a simple collection of data columns and definitions of the meanings of the columns content and may start to grow at a high rate. Data dictionaries should not be confused with data models because the latter usually include more complex relationships between elements of data. When discrete logic is added to definitions of data elements, a date dictionary could evolve into full ontology.

data dictionary

In database management systems, a file that defines the basic organization of a database. A data dictionary contains a list of all files in the database, the number of records in each file, and the names and types of each field. Most database management systems keep the data dictionary hidden from usersto prevent them from accidentally destroying its contents. Data dictionaries do not contain any actual data from the database, only bookkeeping information for managing it. Without a data dictionary, however, a database management system cannot access data from the database.

data dictionary

E-mail Print A AA AAA LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Share This RSS Reprints A data dictionary is a collection of descriptions of the data objects or items in a data model for the benefit of programmers and others who need to refer to them. A first step in analyzing a system of objects with which users interact is to identify each object and its relationship to other objects. This process is called data modeling
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and results in a picture of object relationships. After each data object or item is given a descriptive name, its relationship is described (or it becomes part of some structure that implicitly describes relationship), the type of data (such as text or image or binary value) is described, possible predefined values are listed, and a brief textual description is provided. This collection can be organized for reference into a book called a data dictionary. When developing programs that use the data model, a data dictionary can be consulted to understand where a data item fits in the structure, what values it may contain, and basically what the data item means in real-world terms. For example, a bank or group of banks could model the data objects involved in consumer banking. They could then provide a data dictionary for a bank's programmers. The data dictionary would describe each of the data items in its data model for consumer banking (for example, "Account holder" and ""Available credit").

Data Dictionary
A data dictionary is an integral part of a database. It holds information about the database and the data that it stores, i.e., the meta-data. Any well designed database will surely include a data dictionary as it gives database administrators and other users easy access to the type of data that they should expect to see in every table, row, and column of the database, without actually accessing the database. Since a database is meant to be built and used by multiple users, making sure that everyone is aware of the types of data each field will accept becomes a challenge, especially when there is a lack of consistency when assigning data types to fields. A data dictionary is a simple yet effective add-on to ensure data consistency. Some of the typical components of a data dictionary entry are: Name of the table Name of the fields in each table Data type of the field (integer,

date, text) Brief description of the expected data for each field Length of the field Default value for that field Is the field Nullable or Not Nullable? Constraints that apply to each field, if any

Not all of these fields (and many others) will apply to every single entry in the data dictionary. For example, if the entry were about the root description of the table, it might not require any information regarding fields. Some data dictionaries also include location details, such as each fields current location, where it actually came from, and details of the physical location such as the IP address or DNS of the server. Format and Storage There exists no standard format for creating a data dictionary. Meta-data differs from table to table. Some database administrators prefer to create simple text files, while others use diagrams and flow charts to display all their information. The only prerequisite for a data dictionary is that it should be easily searchable. Again, the only applicable rule for data dictionary storage is that it should be at a convenient location that is easily accessible to all database users. The types of files used to store data dictionaries range from text files, xml files, spreadsheets, an additional table in the database itself, to handwritten notes. It is the database administrators duty to make sure that this document is always up to date, accurate, and easily accessible. Creating the Data Dictionary

First, all the information required to create the data dictionary must be identified and recorded in the design documents. If the design documents are in a compatible format, it should be possible to directly export the data in them to the desired format for the data dictionary. For example, applications like Microsoft Visio allow database creation directly from the design structure and would make creation of the data dictionary simpler. Even without the use of such tools, scripts can be deployed to export data from the database to the document. There is always the option of manually creating these documents as well. Advantages of a Data Dictionary The primary advantage of creating an informative and well designed data dictionary is that it exudes clarity on the rest of the database documentation. Also, when a new user is introduced to the system or a new administrator takes over the system, identifying table structures and types becomes simpler. In scenarios involving large databases where it is impossible for an administrator to completely remember specific bits of information about thousands of fields, a data dictionary becomes a crucial necessity.

The Data Dictionary

This chapter describes the central set of read-only reference tables and views of each Oracle database, known collectively as the data dictionary. This chapter contains the following topics:

Introduction to the Data Dictionary How the Data Dictionary Is Used Dynamic Performance Tables Database Object Metadata

Introduction to the Data Dictionary

One of the most important parts of an Oracle database is its data dictionary, which is a read-only set of tables that provides information about the database. A data dictionary contains:

The definitions of all schema objects in the database (tables, views, indexes, clusters, synonyms, sequences, procedures, functions, packages, triggers, and so on) How much space has been allocated for, and is currently used by, the schema objects Default values for columns Integrity constraint information The names of Oracle users Privileges and roles each user has been granted Auditing information, such as who has accessed or updated various schema objects Other general database information

The data dictionary is structured in tables and views, just like other database data. All the data dictionary tables and views for a given database are stored in that database's SYSTEM tablespace. Not only is the data dictionary central to every Oracle database, it is an important tool for all users, from end users to application designers and database administrators. Use SQL statements to access the data dictionary. Because the data dictionary is read only, you can issue only queries (SELECT statements) against it's tables and views.

A data dictionary is a reserved space within a database which is used to store information about the database itself. A data dictionary may contain information such as: * Database design information * Stored SQL procedures * User permissions * User statistics * Database process information * Database growth statistics * Database performance statistics

Answerer 2 Data Dictionary, a database containing data about all the databases composing a database system. The content of the data dictionary may best be thought of as data about the datathat is, descriptions of all of the other objects (files, programs, and so on) in the system. In particular, a data dictionary stores all the various schemas and file specifications and their locations. A complete data dictionary also includes information about which programs use which data and which users are interested in which reports. The data dictionary is frequently integrated into the system it describes.

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Answerer 3 It's a kind of simple database that can hold a lot of records that can be reached through an index.

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Answerer 4 In database management systems, a file that defines the basic organization of a database. A data dictionary contains a list of all files in the database, the number of records in each file, and the names and types of each field. Most database management systems keep the data dictionary hidden from users to prevent them from accidentally destroying its contents. Data dictionaries do not contain any actual data from the database, only bookkeeping information for managing it. Without a data dictionary, however, a database management system cannot access data from the database. Source(s): 1.http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/data_dic 2.http://comjnl.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/con

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data dictionary
A database about data and databases. It holds the name, type, range of values, source, and authorization for access for each data element in the organization's files and databases. It also indicates which application programs use that data so that when a change in a data structure is contemplated, a list of affected programs can be generated. The data dictionary may be a stand-alone system or an integral part of the DBMS. Data integrity and accuracy is better ensured in the latter case.

Relational Database Characteristics Data in the relational database must be represented in tables, with values in columns within rows. Data within a column must be accessible by specifying the table name, the column name, and the value of the primary key of the row. The DBMS must support missing and inapplicable information in a systematic way, distinct from regular values and independent of data type. The DBMS must support an active on-line catalogue. The DBMS must support at least one language that can be used independently and from within programs, and supports data definition operations, data manipulation, constraints, and transaction management. Views must be updatable by the system. The DBMS must support insert, update, and delete operations on sets. The DBMS must support logical data independence. The DBMS must support physical data independence. Integrity constraints must be stored within the catalogue, separate from the application. The DBMS must support distribution independence. The existing application should run when the existing data is redistributed or when the DBMS is redistributed. If the DBMS provides a low level interface (row at a time), that interface cannot bypass the integrity constraints.

A relational database is a set of tables that have the following characteristics: A table is made up of columns and rows. A column is a set of values of the same datatype; a character column, for example, contains character strings and an integer column contains integers. A row is a sequence of values such that the nth value of the row corresponds to the nth column of the table. Each row is typically identified by a unique value known as its primary key. (It is possible, although not generally useful, to create a table without a primary key column.) A base table is a table created with a CREATE TABLE statement. A base table persists in the database until it is removed with a DROP TABLEstatement. A result table is returned by a SELECT statement. A temporary table is a table that is accessible only during the session in which it is created. A temporary table persists in the database only for the duration of that session or until it is removed with a DROP TABLE statement.