Oracle Database / Applications Definitions

This glossary explains the meaning of key words and phrases that information technology (IT) and business professionals use when discussing Oracle and related software products. You can find additional definitions by visiting WhatIs.com or using the search box below.

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  • A

    autonomous transaction

    In Oracle's database products, an autonomous transaction is an independent transaction that is initiated by another transaction.

  • B

    bioinformatics

    Bioinformatics is the science of developing computer databases and algorithms for the purpose of speeding up and enhancing biological research.

  • C

    concurrent processing

    Concurrent processing is a computing model in which multiple processors execute instructions simultaneously for better performance.

  • correlated subquery

    A correlated subquery is a SQL query that depends on values executed by the outer query in order to complete.

  • D

    delimiter

    In computer programming, a delimiter is a character that identifies the beginning or the end of a character string (a contiguous sequence of characters).

  • distributed database

    A distributed database is a database that consists of two or more files located in different sites either on the same network or on entirely different networks.

  • E

    Oracle extents

    Oracle extents are a set of contiguous blocks allocated in an Oracle database.

  • F

    field

    A field is an area in a fixed or known location in a unit of data such as a record, message header, or computer instruction that has a purpose and usually a fixed size.

  • foreign key

    A foreign key is a column or columns of data in one table that connects to the primary key data in the original table.

  • M

    metadata repository

    A metadata repository is a database of data about data (metadata).

  • metainformation

    Metainformation is information about information.

  • multidimensional database (MDB)

    A multidimensional database (MDB) is a type of database that is optimized for data warehouse and online analytical processing (OLAP) applications.

  • MySQL

    MySQL is a relational database management system (RDBMS) based on SQL (Structured Query Language).

  • MySQL Connector/ODBC (Connector ODBC or MyODBC)

    MySQL Connector/ODBC (sometimes called just Connector ODBC or MyODBC) is a driver for connecting to a MySQL database server through the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) application program interface (API), which is the standard means of connecting to any database. Users can connect from within common applications and programming environments, such as Microsoft Access or Excel or Borland Delphi.

  • N

    NetSuite

    NetSuite is a business technology vendor based in San Mateo, California.

  • O

    object-oriented database management system (OODBMS)

    An object-oriented database management system (OODBMS), sometimes shortened to ODBMS for object database management system, is a database management system (DBMS) that supports the modelling and creation of data as objects.

  • Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)

    Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) is an open standard application programming interface (API) for accessing a database.

  • operational data store (ODS)

    An operational data store (ODS) is a type of database that's often used as an interim logical area for a data warehouse.

  • Oracle

    Oracle is one of the largest vendors in the enterprise IT market and the shorthand name of its flagship product, a relational database management system (RDBMS) that's formally called Oracle Database.

  • Oracle Autonomous Database

    Oracle Autonomous Database is a cloud-based technology designed to automate many of the routine tasks required to manage Oracle databases, which Oracle says can free up database administrators (DBAs) to do higher-level and more strategic work.

  • Oracle Database 12c

    The Oracle Database 12c is a high-performance, enterprise-class database.

  • Oracle E-Business Suite

    Oracle E-Business Suite is a set of applications for managing business operations, including customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning and supply chain management processes.

  • Oracle Fusion Applications

    Oracle Fusion Applications is an all-encompassing suite of Oracle applications built for enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), human capital management (HCM) and other business tasks.

  • Oracle Hyperion

    Hyperion is the business division of Oracle that's known for corporate performance management (CPM) and business intelligence systems. 

  • Oracle NoSQL Database

    The Oracle NoSQL Database is a nonrelational, horizontally scalable key-value database, with multiple higher-level data abstractions that support data management as binary key-value pairs, JSON objects, and SQL-like tables.

  • P

    PeopleSoft

    PeopleSoft is an e-business software product line owned by Oracle.

  • PL/SQL (procedural language extension to Structured Query Language)

    In Oracle database management, PL/SQL is a procedural language extension to Structured Query Language (SQL).

  • Q

    Query by Example (QBE)

    Query by Example (QBE) is a method of query creation that allows the user to search for documents based on an example in the form of a selected text string or in the form of a document name or a list of documents.

  • R

    record

    In computer data processing, a record is a collection of data items arranged for processing by a program.

  • relational online analytical processing (ROLAP)

    Relational online analytical processing (ROLAP) is a form of online analytical processing (OLAP) that performs dynamic multidimensional analysis of data stored in a relational database rather than in a multidimensional database (which is usually considered the OLAP standard).

  • repository

    In information technology, a repository (pronounced ree-PAHZ-ih-tor-i) is a central place in which an aggregation of data is kept and maintained in an organized way, usually in computer storage.

  • S

    sharding

    Sharding is a type of database partitioning that separates large databases into smaller, faster, more easily managed parts.

  • Solaris

    Solaris is the computer operating system that Sun Microsystems provides for its family of Scalable Processor Architecture-based processors as well as for Intel-based processors.

  • stored procedure

    A stored procedure is a group of statements with a specific name, which are stored inside a database, such as MySQL or Oracle.

  • V

    virtual (federated) database

    A virtual database, also called a federated database, is a system in which several databases appear to function as a single entity.

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