Which term refers to the data dictionary created by the DBMS?

Which term refers to the data dictionary created by the DBMS?

• A. Authentication
• B. Catalog
• C. Encryption
• D. Recovery

Answer: (B)

The catalog is the term used for the data dictionary created by the DBMS. It serves as the metadata store that describes database objects and their properties—tables, columns, data types, constraints, indexes, user privileges, views, procedures, and how these elements relate to one another. The DBMS relies on this catalog to enforce integrity, optimize queries, manage security, and present schema information to users and tools. Authentication deals with verifying who you are, encryption protects data, and recovery concerns restoring data after a failure—none of these describe the repository of metadata the DBMS maintains about the database structure.

The catalog is the term used for the data dictionary created by the DBMS. It serves as the metadata store that describes database objects and their properties—tables, columns, data types, constraints, indexes, user privileges, views, procedures, and how these elements relate to one another. The DBMS relies on this catalog to enforce integrity, optimize queries, manage security, and present schema information to users and tools.

Authentication deals with verifying who you are, encryption protects data, and recovery concerns restoring data after a failure—none of these describe the repository of metadata the DBMS maintains about the database structure.