Ch 10 Scalable Db Q&A

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Questions and Answers

What is a primary characteristic of scaling up in database systems?

Eliminates the need for any database administration.

Utilizes more powerful hardware to improve throughput. (correct)

Requires changes to the application code.

Involves the migration to less powerful hardware.

What is a main downside of scaling up databases?

It is only suitable for local clients.

It eliminates the need for multiple CPUs.

It can lead to exceeding the processing capabilities of a single node. (correct)

It always requires significant changes to the underlying application.

What does the primary database node refer to in a read replica architecture?

Any node that can independently handle queries.

The main database responsible for all writes. (correct)

The database that only executes asynchronous operations.

A node that only reads data.

In what scenario is using read replicas particularly beneficial?

For applications that must support read-heavy workloads. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of having read replicas in a distributed architecture?

It can reduce the load on the primary database by handling all reads. Signup and view all the answers

What is the process for replicating data from the primary database to secondaries?

It happens asynchronously to minimize delays during writes. Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of using a denormalized data model in NoSQL?

Simplification of query writing by providing prejoined data. Signup and view all the answers

In a normalized model, how does updating data affect queries?

Only the entry that holds the canonical reference needs to be modified. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements accurately describes NoSQL databases regarding JOIN operations?

Some NoSQL databases have limited support for JOIN operations, while others do not support them at all. Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of adding more secondaries to a read-replicated database architecture?

It allows for more efficient handling of writes. Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential risk when reading from secondaries in a database setup?

Clients may read outdated or stale data. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of vertical partitioning in databases?

Optimize physical storage. Signup and view all the answers

What common strategy is used for horizontal partitioning?

Use the primary key with a hash function. Signup and view all the answers

How is vertical partitioning different from normalization?

It focuses on physical rather than conceptual optimization. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about primary and secondary databases is true?

Secondary databases can help handle read requests if the primary fails. Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of duplicating data across logical tables?

It can lead to challenges in maintaining data integrity during updates. Signup and view all the answers

How does normalization affect data redundancy?

Normalization structures data to eliminate redundancy. Signup and view all the answers

What is typically faster due to data duplication in a well-designed model?

Read operations Signup and view all the answers

What is the preferred design rule many databases follow for normalization?

Third normal form (3NF) Signup and view all the answers

What overall benefit does designing a data model primarily for major use cases provide?

It eliminates the need for complex relational operations. Signup and view all the answers

Which of these describes a challenge related to duplicated data?

Time-consuming updates to maintain data consistency. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of partitioning in a distributed database?

To increase processing capacity Signup and view all the answers

What problem does replication solve in a distributed database architecture?

Data availability during failures Signup and view all the answers

What is a challenge associated with managing data replication in distributed systems?

Maintaining consistency across replicas Signup and view all the answers

Why might a distributed database utilize multiple replicas for each partition?

To enhance availability for read and write requests Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential downside of having a strong consistency model in a distributed database?

It may lead to slower response times Signup and view all the answers

What is one way that replication enhances scalability in a distributed database?

By allowing additional nodes to handle requests Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Scalable Database Fundamentals

Relational databases were dominant in the early 2000s, but the market has expanded and diversified.
Many newer database engines are not relational.
The top 10 databases in 2022 included 7 that held similar ranking positions in 2001.
Database growth is driven by internet-scale applications, creating massive data sets (e.g., user profiles, behavioral data, images, videos).

Distributed Databases

Relational databases have evolved to accommodate scalability using distributed architectures.
New generations of databases natively support distributed architectures to address data model complexities.

Scaling Relational Databases

Relational databases continue to be a mature, stable, and powerful platform, existing in various application domains.
Scaling up involves migrating the database to more powerful hardware.
This approach has limitations in high-volume applications where the database might surpass the node processing capacity or require lower latency access.
Scaling out (e.g., read replicas) improves overall processing by distributing read activity across multiple nodes.
Secondaries maintain copies of the primary database and can handle read requests, with a delay between updates.

Scaling Out (Partitioning Data)

Data can also be partitioned for scalability.
Horizontal partitioning splits logical tables into physical partitions using a strategy/formula to allocate rows to partitions (e.g., based on a field value).
Vertical partitioning splits rows into columns distributed across partitions based on column value within the row.

NoSQL Data Models

NoSQL databases offer simplified data models compared to relational models.
Four key models exist: key-value, document, wide column, and graph.
Key-value stores data using unique keys.
Document databases store data encoded in JSON formats and accommodate varied data types/structures.
Wide-column databases organize associated data using named columns within a hash map.
Graph databases store data as relationships between nodes.

Query Languages

NoSQL database query languages are largely proprietary and varied, often distinct to specific databases.

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Description

Test your knowledge on database scaling, read replicas, and data modeling in NoSQL. This quiz examines key characteristics of scaling up in database systems and the implications of various data models. Challenge yourself with questions on database architecture and performance.