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1.

If the database modifications occur while the transaction is still active, the transaction is said to use the __________ modification technique(a) Deferred(b) Immediate(c) More than one of the mentioned(d) None of the mentionedI got this question in an internship interview.The above asked question is from Recovery and Atomicity in section Recovery System of RDBMS

Answer»

Correct OPTION is (B) Immediate

Best EXPLANATION: If the database modifications occur while the transaction is still ACTIVE, the transaction is said to USE the immediate modification technique. Deferred modification has overhead whereas immediate modification doesn’t have any overhead.

2.

A __________ checkpoint is a checkpoint where transactions are allowed to perform updates even while buffer blocks are being written out.(a) Temporary(b) Fuzzy(c) Permanent(d) RecoveryThe question was asked during an internship interview.Query is from Recovery and Atomicity topic in division Recovery System of RDBMS

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Correct OPTION is (B) FUZZY

The best explanation: A fuzzy CHECKPOINT is a checkpoint where transactions are allowed to perform updates even while buffer blocks are being WRITTEN out.

3.

State true or false: Using checkpoints reduces overhead(a) True(b) FalseThis question was posed to me at a job interview.This intriguing question originated from Recovery and Atomicity topic in division Recovery System of RDBMS

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Correct ANSWER is (a) True

To explain I would say: Using checkpoints reduces OVERHEAD because the search process is TIME consuming and searching for transactions does not TAKE place if we use checkpoints.

4.

We say that a transaction has been ________ when its commit log record has been output to stable storage.(a) Locked(b) Completed(c) Committed(d) ReleasedThis question was posed to me by my school teacher while I was bunking the class.Asked question is from Recovery and Atomicity topic in chapter Recovery System of RDBMS

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Right option is (c) Committed

To explain I would say: We say that a transaction has been committed when its commit LOG RECORD has been OUTPUT to stable storage. At that POINT, all the earlier RECORDS have already been output to stable storage.

5.

If a transaction does not modify the database until it has committed it is said to use a_______ modification technique(a) Deferred(b) Immediate(c) More than one of the mentioned(d) None of the mentionedI had been asked this question during an interview for a job.This interesting question is from Recovery and Atomicity in portion Recovery System of RDBMS

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Right ANSWER is (a) Deferred

Easiest explanation: If a transaction does not modify the database until it has committed it is SAID to use a deferred modification technique. Deferred modification has the overhead that transactions NEED to make local copies of all updated data items.

6.

The value of the data item prior to the write is called as _________(a) Transaction identifier(b) Data-item identifier(c) Old value(d) New valueThis question was posed to me during an internship interview.My question is from Recovery and Atomicity in section Recovery System of RDBMS

Answer» RIGHT answer is (c) Old value

To explain I would say: The value of the data item prior to the WRITE is CALLED as old value. This is STORED in the update log record.
7.

The unique identifier of the transaction that performed the write operation is called as _______(a) Transaction identifier(b) Data-item identifier(c) Old value(d) New valueThe question was asked during an interview.The question is from Recovery and Atomicity in chapter Recovery System of RDBMS

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Right answer is (a) Transaction IDENTIFIER

For explanation I WOULD SAY: The unique identifier of the transaction that PERFORMED the write OPERATION is called as transaction identifier. This is a field in the update log record.

8.

Which of the following fields does the update log record have?(a) Transaction identifier(b) Data-item identifier(c) Old value(d) All of the mentionedI had been asked this question during an interview.This key question is from Recovery and Atomicity in chapter Recovery System of RDBMS

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Right option is (d) All of the mentioned

For explanation: An update log record describes a single database write. It has FOUR FIELDS in it. The update log record has a TRANSACTION IDENTIFIER, data-item identifier, old value, NEW value.

9.

An update log record describes a ________ database write(a) Single(b) Double(c) Triple(d) QuadrupleI got this question during an interview.The origin of the question is Recovery and Atomicity in section Recovery System of RDBMS

Answer» RIGHT answer is (a) SINGLE

Best explanation: An update log record describes a single database WRITE. It has four fields in it which are, transaction identifier, data-item identifier, old VALUE, NEW value.
10.

The most widely used structure for recording database modification is called as _______(a) Log(b) List(c) Queue(d) StackThis question was posed to me in an interview for job.This intriguing question originated from Recovery and Atomicity topic in chapter Recovery System of RDBMS

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The CORRECT option is (a) LOG

Explanation: The most widely used structure for RECORDING DATABASE modification is CALLED as a log. The log is a sequence of log records recording all the update activities in the database.

11.

The area of memory where blocks temporarily reside is called as ________(a) Block buffer(b) Disk buffer(c) Physical buffer(d) None of the mentionedI had been asked this question in an online interview.Asked question is from Failure Classification and Storage topic in portion Recovery System of RDBMS

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The correct answer is (b) Disk buffer

Best explanation: The area of MEMORY where blocks TEMPORARILY reside is CALLED as the disk buffer. The disk buffer is USED to STORE the buffer blocks which hold temporary data.

12.

The blocks residing on the disk are referred to as ___________(a) Physical blocks(b) Buffer blocks(c) Disk blocks(d) Disk bufferI had been asked this question during an online exam.My doubt stems from Failure Classification and Storage topic in section Recovery System of RDBMS

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Correct CHOICE is (a) PHYSICAL blocks

Explanation: The blocks RESIDING on the disk are referred to as physical blocks. The blocks residing temporarily in the main memory are referred to as BUFFER blocks.

13.

The partitions of the database into fixed length storage units are called as __________(a) Blocks(b) Tuples(c) Relations(d) None of the mentionedThis question was posed to me in final exam.I'm obligated to ask this question of Failure Classification and Storage topic in division Recovery System of RDBMS

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The correct option is (a) Blocks

For explanation: The DATABASE is partitioned into fixed length storage units called as blocks. Blocks are the units of DATA transfer and may contain several data ITEMS.

14.

State true or false: The destination block has incorrect information in case of a total failure(a) True(b) FalseThis question was posed to me in an international level competition.The question is from Failure Classification and Storage in section Recovery System of RDBMS

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Correct answer is (b) False

The best I can explain: In CASE of total failure, the failure occurs sufficiently EARLY during the TRANSFER that the destination block remains intact. Thus there is no corruption of DATA at the destination.

15.

If a failure has occurred in the midst of a transfer, it is called as _________(a) Successful completion(b) Partial failure(c) Total failure(d) None of the mentionedThe question was asked in exam.My question comes from Failure Classification and Storage topic in division Recovery System of RDBMS

Answer» CORRECT CHOICE is (b) PARTIAL FAILURE

For explanation: If a failure has occurred in the midst of a transfer, it is CALLED as partial failure. After a partial failure, the destination has incorrect information.
16.

Which of the following is not a classification of storage(a) Volatile storage(b) Nonvolatile storage(c) Stable storage(d) None of the mentionedI got this question at a job interview.My enquiry is from Failure Classification and Storage in chapter Recovery System of RDBMS

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Right ANSWER is (d) None of the mentioned

Best explanation: Volatile STORAGE, non-volatile storage and stable storage are three DIFFERENT classifications of storage. Volatile storage is the least secure whereas stable storage is the most secure AMONG them.

17.

The assumption that the hardware errors bring the system to a halt is called as ________(a) Halter assumption(b) Phantom assumption(c) Fail-stop assumption(d) Disk failureThis question was addressed to me during an internship interview.Question is taken from Failure Classification and Storage topic in portion Recovery System of RDBMS

Answer»

The correct answer is (c) Fail-STOP assumption

Explanation: The assumption that the hardware ERRORS bring the system to a halt is called as fail-stop assumption. Well-designed SYSTEMS have numerous internal CHECKS that bring a system to a halt whenever there is an error. HENCE, the fail stop assumption is a reasonable one.

18.

If there is a hardware malfunction or a bug in the database that causes the loss of content of volatile storage, it is called as ________(a) Logical error(b) System error(c) System crash(d) None of the mentionedThis question was posed to me in semester exam.My question is taken from Failure Classification and Storage topic in portion Recovery System of RDBMS

Answer» RIGHT answer is (C) System crash

The best I can explain: If there is a HARDWARE malfunction or a bug in the database that causes the loss of CONTENT of volatile storage, it is called as a system crash. The data in the non-volatile storage remains INTACT and it is not corrupted.
19.

If a system has entered and undesirable state due to which it is unable to continue with normal execution, it is called as _________(a) Logical error(b) System error(c) System crash(d) None of the mentionedThe question was posed to me in my homework.I would like to ask this question from Failure Classification and Storage in portion Recovery System of RDBMS

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Correct choice is (b) SYSTEM error

Explanation: If a system has ENTERED and undesirable state DUE to which it is unable to CONTINUE with normal execution, it is called as a system error. The transaction however can be re-executed at a LATER time.

20.

If the transaction can no longer continue with its normal execution because of some internal condition, it is called as a _________(a) Logical error(b) System error(c) System crash(d) None of the mentionedThe question was posed to me in an online interview.My question is from Failure Classification and Storage topic in division Recovery System of RDBMS

Answer»

The correct answer is (a) Logical error

To elaborate: If the transaction can no LONGER continue with its NORMAL EXECUTION because of some internal condition, it is called as a logical error such as bad input, data not FOUND, OVERFLOW or resource limit exceeded.

21.

Which of the following can cause a transaction failure(a) Logical error(b) System error(c) More than one of the mentioned(d) None of the mentionedI got this question by my school teacher while I was bunking the class.The origin of the question is Failure Classification and Storage in division Recovery System of RDBMS

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Correct answer is (c) More than one of the mentioned

For explanation: Logical ERRORS and system errors are the two types of errors that can GENERALLY cause TRANSACTION FAILURES.