T

table

In data management, a cluster of data attributes; a collection of data values associated with a population of entities, each of which is described by the same set of attributes. A cluster of one or more columns to represent information about the entities. Each attribute must be atomic (single valued). SEE ALSO flat file; relation.

table scan

The process of examining all rows of data in a table sequentially.

table think

When the data modeler thinks first of tables when developing a data model for a user domain. At the outset, everything must be represented in tables. As a consequence, they sometimes incorrectly include data items in a table such that it violates the rules of normalization. NOTE: fact oriented modeling schemes such as ORM do not model in terms of tables, rather just objects (encompassing both entities and attributes) and relationships, hence avoiding the need for normalization at all. (Everest 2010)

table, bridge

1. A term coined by Ralph Kimball to describe a Data Warehouse table with a multi-part key whose purpose is to capture a many-to-many relationship that cannot be accommodated by the natural grain of a single fact table or dimension table. Similar to an associative table, but specific to dimensional modeling.
2. A table that serves to link two dimension tables with a many-to-many relationship that cannot be resolved through a fact table. (DAMA-DMBOK Guide, 1st edition, pg. 215.) A table that captures parent-child relationships within a variable-depth or ragged hierarchy to enable more efficient traversal. (DAMA-DMBOK Guide, 1st edition, pg. 216.)

table, outrigger

In a snowflake schema data mart, a second-level dimension table linked to a primary level dimension table and not to any fact table.

table, snowflake

A table that is a de-normalized hierarchical component of another dimension table.

tabular data

SEE data, tabular.

tacit knowledge

The knowledge that a person retains in their mind. It is relatively hard to transfer to others and to disseminate widely. Also known as implicit knowledge. (Brackett 2011)

Tactical Business Intelligence

Alternate form: Tactical BI

The application of BI tools to analyze business trends by comparing a metric to the same metric from a previous month or year, or to analyze historical data to discover trends that need attention. Used to support short-term business decisions. (DAMA-DMBOK Guide, 1st edition, pg. 208.)

tactical data steward

A person who acts as liaison between the strategic data stewards and the detail data stewards to ensure that all business and data concerns are addressed. (Brackett 2011)

tactical data warehouse development

The process of implementing a portion of an Enterprise Data Warehouse.

tag

Delimiters in a markup language than also contain information. Matched tags are used in pairs, preceding and following text.

Tagged Image File Format (TIFF)

A file format for storing images as electronic files.

tangible asset

SEE asset, tangible.

target database

SEE database, target.

taxonomy

1. Generally, a collection of controlled vocabulary terms organized into a structure of parent-child relationships. Each term is in at least one relationship with another term in the taxonomy. Each parent's relationship with all of its children are of only one type (whole-part, genus-species, or type-instance). The addition of associative relationships creates a thesaurus.
2. In content management, a vocabulary (the list of terms in a dialect of an organization or community) organized into a hierarchy, generally to find terms easily.
3. The hierarchical structure for outlining topics. The Dewey Decimal System is an example of a taxonomy. (DAMA-DMBOK Guide, 1st edition, pg. 80.)

taxonomy, facet

A taxonomy with a relationship between the center nodes and all other nodes. Facets are attributes of the object in the center. An example is meta-data, where each attribute (creator, title, access rights, key words, version, etc.) is a facet of a content object. (DAMA-DMBOK Guide, 1st edition, pg. 249.)

taxonomy, flat

A taxonomy with no relationship between equal categories. An example is a list of countries. (DAMA-DMBOK Guide, 1st edition, pg. 249.)

taxonomy, hierarchical

A taxonomy with a tree structure of at least two levels and with bi-directional relationships. An example is geography, from continent to address. (DAMA-DMBOK Guide, 1st edition, pg. 249.)

taxonomy, network

A taxonomy with both hierarchical and facet categories. Any two nodes in a network taxonomy link based on their associations. An example is a thesaurus. (DAMA-DMBOK Guide, 1st edition, pg. 249.)

technical architecture

SEE architecture, technology.

technical data resource data

The data that technicians need to build, manage, and maintain databases and make the data available to the business. (Brackett 2011)

technical meta-data

SEE meta-data, technical.

Technicians as Implementers

Zachman Framework row name, matches Component Assemblies.

technology

1. The application of knowledge to sustaining life, improving performance or productivity, conserving resources or increasing human comfort.
2. One of the DAMA Functional Framework Environmental Elements. Categories of supporting technology (primarily software tools), standards and protocols, product selection criteria and common learning curves. (DAMA-DMBOK Guide, 1st edition, pg. 13.)

technology architecture

SEE architecture, technology.

Technology Physics

Zachman Framework row name, matches Engineers as Builders.

technology roadmap

SEE chart, technology roadmap.

template

A pre-existing form or outline that serves as a pattern guideline for creating a document, specification or software object.

temple diagram

SEE chart, temple diagram.

Terabyte (Tb)

A trillion bytes of storage; a thousand Gigabytes.

terminology analysis

The process of gathering terms in common use which will become the basis of a conceptual model or vocabulary.

ternary

Adjective. Consisting of three components or values.

ternary relationship

SEE relationship, ternary.

test

Generally, a validation process that compares in an organized fashion the functionality or content of a thing or process against pre-established requirements for that thing or process.

test data

A data set that has been specifically created to enable testing of some process using the data set as a standard input.

test, beta

The process of testing a beta release.

test, integration

A validation process that evaluates functionality between individual components or modules.

test, performance

A validation process that evaluates the time of system performance during specific activities compared to expected performance parameters.

test, regression

Retesting existing code using passed test cases to verify that nothing changed.

test, system

A validation process that evaluates hardware and/or software on a complete integrated platform to evaluate compliance with requirements.

test, unit

A validation process that evaluates functionality of individual code sets or modules independent of any other code set or module, using a defined set of data.

Test, User Acceptance (UAT)

A validation process that evaluates functionality from a user's point of view, independent of any technical validation.

text

A class word, abbreviated usually to txt.

text mining

The process of evaluating unstructured text for patterns, extract actionable data and sentiment via semantic analysis, statistical methods, etc.

The Data Warehouse Institute (TDWI)

A leading provider of in-depth, high quality education and research in Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing. (www.tdwi.org)

The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF)

A detailed method and set of supporting tools for developing an enterprise architecture, developed by The Open Group, www.opengorup.org/architecture/togaf.

thesaurus

A controlled vocabulary with both parent-child and associative relationships defined. SEE ALSO taxonomy.

Third Generation Language (3GL)

A high-level language for manipulating a database one-record-at-a-time, with non-essential, repetitive commands encapsulated in order to make programming more readable by a human. SEE ALSO Fourth Generation Language.

third Normal Form (3NF)

SEE normal form, third.

thrashing

A situation where a large amount of resources are involved in doing minimal amounts of work, mostly due to collisions or contention for resources in database access.

three-tier architecture

SEE architecture, three-tier.

tier

A level of separation of computing responsibility. Originally, computer architecture was monolithic with all processing occurring on the same machine. Over time, two-tier and three-tier systems separated processing for user interfaces, application logic and data persistence. Current architecture is n-tiered.

time

A class word, abbreviated usually to tm.

time series

A sequence of data points that can be related to points in time in some pattern of intervals.

time, transaction

The time period where a data value is stored in a database.

time, valid

The time period where a data value represents a true status in the real world.

time box

1. A period of time in which a task may be completed.
2. In project management, a technique for separating parts of a project schedule in order to distribute work as well as management of that work.

timeline chart

SEE chart, timeline.

timeliness

1. The degree to which available data meets the currency requirements of information consumers.
2. The length of time between data availability and the event or phenomenon they describe.

time-variant

A system that has a dependence on time for the content of output.

Timing Configuration

Zachman Framework cell name, intersection of When/Timing Periods and Component Assemblies/Technicians as Implementers.

Timing Definition

Zachman Framework cell name, intersection of When/Timing Periods and Business Concepts/Executive Leaders as Owners.

Timing Identification

Zachman Framework cell name, intersection of When/Timing Periods and Scope Contexts/Strategists as Theorists.

Timing Instantiation

Zachman Framework cell name, intersection of When/Timing Periods and Operations Instance Classes/Workers as Participants.

Timing Periods

Zachman Framework column name, matches When.

Timing Representation

Zachman Framework cell name, intersection of When/Timing Periods and System Logic/Architects as Designers.

Timing Specification

Zachman Framework cell name, intersection of When/Timing Periods and Technology Physics/Engineers as Builders.

tipping point

A term coined by Malcolm Gladwell describing the point at which a previously rare phenomenon begins to occur at an epidemic rate.

title

1. An identification assigned to an object.
2. DCMI element in element set Content: the name of a resource. SEE ALSO Dublin Core Metadata Initiative.

token

1. A discrete collection of identifying information.
2. In operating systems, a container for security information about a user.

topology

The spatial layout and interconnections of any network.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

The cost to own, implement and maintain a product throughout its life.

Total Quality Management (TQM)

Techniques, methods and management principles for continuous improvement, based on the work of Deming, Juran, Crosby and others.

traceable

Adjective. Capable of being related to steps in a process.

traffic

In a networked system, the number of packets traversing a network segment.

training set

A collection of data whose purpose is to be analyzed to discover patterns that can then be applied to other data sets.

transaction

1. A business transaction is an event involving the exchange of products, money and/or data.
2. A system transaction is a unit of work including one or more actions performed together or not at all, usually in support of a business transaction.
3. A database transaction is a complete atomic unit of work; a set of statements to perform CRUD operations on data, in which the Database Management System must either complete performance of all the statements, or none of the statements. As the process continues, it requests locks on various database objects, according to the concurrent update protocols, deadlock handling scheme, and backup scheme. Any database updates performed are held in limbo until the END transaction statement is encountered. At that point, the system checks the integrity rules to ensure that the database remains in a valid state relative to its definition. If the check shows no errors, the updates are made permanent, and all locks on data are released. Otherwise, no changes are applied and the system is reset to the transaction starting point.

transaction fact

SEE fact table, transaction.

transaction time

SEE time, transaction.

transactional system

An information system designed to store and record day-to-day business information, often structured around events, business processes or business activities. These systems are optimized for storing large volumes of data and processing a high volume of requests for small amounts of data, but not for analyzing or aggregating data.

transformers

In data management, rules applied to change data.

transient data

Data that does not exist past the execution of a particular program.

transitive dependency

SEE dependency, transitive.

transitivity

In logic, a relationship where if A and B, and B and C, then A and C.

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol (IP) (TCP/IP)

A set of standard protocols used to organize data sent across a network.

tree

A graph in which child nodes do not have more than one parent. SEE ALSO chart; graph; structure, tree.

tree map chart

SEE chart, tree map.

tree structure

SEE structure, tree.

Tree, Classification And Regression (CART)

A predictive analytical technique that can use a combination of continuous and categorical data to produce a decision tree optimized for minimal complexity. CART is related to algorithms such as C4.5, and CHAID.

trend

A long-term movement in an ordered series, say a time series, which may be regarded (together with the oscillation and random component) as generating the observed values.

trigger

A software routine guaranteed to execute when an event occurs. Often a trigger will monitor changes to data values. A trigger includes a monitoring procedure, a set or range of values to check data integrity, and one or more procedures invoked in response, which may update other data or fulfill a data subscription.

true north

The direction from any location that points toward the geographic North Pole. Not the same as magnetic north.

Tukey box plot

SEE chart, box plot.

tuple

The formal mathematical term for a row in a relational table or record instance in a flat file.

two-key encryption

SEE encryption, public key.

two-phase commit

A transaction processing protocol that first ensures the transaction holds locks on all records involved before committing any updates.

two-stage sampling

A sampling method that combines samples from a set of common groups, then takes samples from the result.

type

1. Generally, a subdivision or category.
2. In data management, a population of instances defined by a common schema.
3. DCMI element in element set Content: the classification of a resource. SEE ALSO Dublin Core Metadata Initiative.

type 0

SEE dimension, type 0.

type 1

SEE data attribute, type 1; dimension, type 1.

type 2

SEE data attribute, type 2; dimension, type 2.

type 3

SEE data attribute, type 3; dimension, type 3.

type 4

SEE dimension, type 4.

type 6

SEE dimension, type 6.