CompTIA DataSys+ (DS0-001)Database FundamentalsMedium
A data engineer is working with a large dataset of customer transactions. The data currently has redundant information, such as repeating customer addresses for every transaction made by the same customer. The engineer wants to restructure the database to eliminate this redundancy and improve data integrity. Which database design process should the engineer apply?
- ANormalization
- BIndexing
- CDenormalization
- DSharding
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Normalization
Normalization is the process of organizing the columns and tables of a relational database to minimize data redundancy and improve data integrity. It involves breaking down large tables into smaller, related tables.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Indexing speeds up data retrieval but doesn't restructure tables to eliminate redundancy.
- C. Denormalization adds redundant data to improve read performance, which is the opposite of the goal.
- D. Sharding is a technique for distributing data across multiple databases to handle large datasets, not for eliminating redundancy within a single database schema.
Normalization
The process of organizing the columns and tables of a relational database to minimize data redundancy and improve data integrity.
- Involves breaking down large tables into smaller, related tables.
- Defined by Normal Forms (1NF, 2NF, 3NF, BCNF, etc.).
- Increases data integrity and reduces update anomalies.
Memory trick: Normalization cleans up your data house.