What Is Structured Data?

Structured data is information that fits into a predefined model or format. This makes it ideal for data analysis and business intelligence applications.

Structured data is typically stored in relational databases and can be accessed using a database query language such as SQL.

Structured data on your pages helps search engines understand the content on a page and match it with relevant results. It saves them time and resources like processing power that they can put to better use elsewhere.

Metadata

Metadata is data about data, an essential element of structured data. It summarizes basic facts about the file such as its author, date created, usage and size so the system can categorize and organize it more efficiently.

Metadata is essential for maintaining data integrity, making sure users can easily locate their required information and tracking changes to a dataset. It also enables us to trace who accessed the information and set up access controls so only authorized personnel have access to it.

Metadata not only allows data identification, but it can also assist in formulating a data governance policy and creating an audit trail for regulatory compliance. Furthermore, metadata allows data professionals to create templates and checklists that make documenting data attributes consistent easier.

Data Structures

Data structures are the tools programmers use to store and organize data on a computer in an organized fashion that makes it simpler for them to manipulate it. Without proper data structures, designing efficient algorithms becomes nearly impossible.

Data structures commonly encountered include arrays, linked lists, trees and stacks. From these basic forms can be created more complex forms such as graphs and hash tables.

Data structures are composed of values and relationships that specify how to logically store, access, and utilize data on a computer. Furthermore, they help facilitate effective usage, persistence, and sharing of that data.

Data structures come in many varieties and can be classified according to supported operations, computational complexity, and programming elegance.

Data Formats

Data formats refer to the way data is stored and accessed. They're essential when considering how your research will be shared and preserved over time.

Structured data is typically organized in a consistent pattern. This makes it easy for users to search the information using specific criteria. Examples of structured data include bank account numbers, geolocation information, names and addresses, among many other types of details.

Relational database management systems (RDBMSs) are widely used software tools for storing and manipulating structured data. They're often employed by large organizations as an ideal solution for businesses that must collect, store, and analyze large amounts of information.

Unstructured data, on the other hand, lacks standardization and an established structure. While these types of records allow for a wider variety of file formats to be stored in databases, they are harder for computers to interpret and categorize.

Data Relationships

Data relationships transform raw data into useful information. They're essential for structured data, which has a specific format and organization ideal for storing in databases.

One-to-many (N:N) relationships are a widely used type of database relationship. In this type of setup, a record in Table A may refer to zero, one or many records in Table B.

A one-to-many relationship occurs when each row in one table (the primary table) references at least one row in another (the related table). These tables are linked together using their foreign key columns from the primary key of the first table.

Tableau automatically creates table relationships based on existing key constraints and matching fields, setting referential integrity - the database requirement that the relationship between two tables be consistent. If a foreign key changes in one referenced table, all primary keys that use that foreign key must also be updated accordingly.