Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)

Refers to extraction, transformation, and loading of data from enterprise resource planning (ERP) (see below) systems to other data sources. Software tools that perform this function are generally batch or point-in-time products designed for initial or ongoing loading of data warehouses.

Enterprise

An organizational unit or entity made up of business functions, divisions, or other components that perform various responsibilities to achieve a common objective. The terms “enterprise database” and “enterprise modeling” are used, respectively, to describe data and the method used to understand their relationships across an enterprise environment.

Dynamic Segmentation

A method of modeling linear features for various applications including highway analysis. Dynamic segmentation is a process for determining the locations of events on linear features (e.g., highway segments) at run time, straight from the tables of features for which distance measures are available and without changing the underlying data structure. For transportation infrastructure management,… Continue reading Dynamic Segmentation

Document Management

Keeping track of stored documents that are either (1) created by a computer using word processing, spreadsheet, or other software; (2) scanned into a computer and converted to computer code by optical character recognition software; or (3) scanned into a computer and saved in a computer image format. Document management systems provide the ability to… Continue reading Document Management

Distributed Database

A database that consists of two or more data files located at different sites on a computer network. Because the database is distributed, different users can access it without interfering with one another (see also interoperable database). In transportation agencies, distributed databases enable multiple individuals in separate locations to run different applications using the same… Continue reading Distributed Database

Desktop Application

An information processing and analysis tool that accesses or queries the source database or data warehouse across a network using an appropriate database interface. The desktop application manages the human interface between data sources and data users.

Decision Support System (DSS)

A generic term used to refer to a computer system or software that supports data analysis, reporting, and other data processing capabilities to help an organization or enterprise (see definition of enterprise) make informed decisions.

Database Server

Often used interchangeably to refer to hardware or software. Both uses pertain to the same principle—a database architecture prepared to receive requests from a third party, or client, and respond to those requests by delivering a particular type of information. In either case, appropriate software is the core of the system. Referring to a piece… Continue reading Database Server

Database Replication

The process of duplicating a portion of a database from one environment to another and keeping the data in other environments consistent with the data in the source database.

Database Query

A request for information from a database. There are three general methods for posing queries: (1) Choosing parameters from a menu: In this method, the database system presents a list of parameters from which to choose. This is perhaps the easiest way to pose a query because the menus provide guidance, but it is also… Continue reading Database Query