Explain foundational database management concepts. In order to get the most of their data, organizations have to take care to create an accurate data model. Often, entity-relationship diagrams are used when designing relational databases. A primary key is used to uniquely identify records in a database. A foreign key is used to link entities together. A useful diagramming technique is entity-relationship diagramming, displaying entities and the associations between them. Normalization is used to reduce redundancy in a database.

 

Visit a computer shop or look on the Web for trackballs or touch pads. What is new about how these input devices look or how they are used? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of each device?

 

Describe foundational networking and Internet concepts. Networks provide for services such as transmitting files, sharing printers, or sending and receiving messages. There are several types of computer networks, classified according to their use and distance covered. To enable rapid transmission of massive amounts of data, most data networks rely on packet switching. Protocols are agreed-on formats for transmitting data between connected computers; the most prominent standards are TCP/IP and Ethernet. Networks exchange data by using cable or wireless transmission media, and media access control refers to the rules that govern how a given workstation gains access to the transmission media. The shape of a network can vary; the four most common topologies are star, ring, bus, and mesh configurations. The Internet is composed of networks that are developed and maintained by many different entities. It follows a hierarchical structure; high-speed central networks called backbones are like interstate highways, enabling traffic from midlevel networks to get on and off. Routers are used to interconnect independent networks.