Data Processing Batch Processing and Real-Time Processing 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is batch processing in data systems?
- Processing each record immediately as it arrives
- Collecting and processing large volumes of data at scheduled intervals (Correct answer)
- Processing data only on user request
- Encrypting data in small groups
Correct answer: Collecting and processing large volumes of data at scheduled intervals
Batch processing collects data over a period and processes it all at once in a scheduled job, rather than handling records individually as they arrive.
Question 2: What is stream processing in data systems?
- Downloading video streams from the internet
- Processing data continuously as it arrives event by event in near real-time (Correct answer)
- Archiving data to tape storage
- Running batch jobs on a fixed schedule
Correct answer: Processing data continuously as it arrives event by event in near real-time
Stream processing handles data records continuously as they arrive, enabling near real-time insights and responses with very low latency.
Question 3: Which framework is widely used in the US for large-scale batch processing on distributed systems?
- Microsoft Excel
- Apache Hadoop MapReduce (Correct answer)
- Adobe Acrobat
- Google Docs
Correct answer: Apache Hadoop MapReduce
Apache Hadoop MapReduce splits large batch jobs across a cluster, processing each partition in parallel and combining results.
Question 4: What is a key advantage of batch processing over real-time processing?
- Lower latency
- Ability to process very large volumes efficiently at lower cost (Correct answer)
- Immediate results for every event
- Better for fraud detection alerts
Correct answer: Ability to process very large volumes efficiently at lower cost
Batch processing can be highly optimized and resource-efficient for large workloads because it processes many records together with shared overhead.
Question 5: What is micro-batch processing?
- Processing one record at a time with no delay
- Collecting small batches of data over very short intervals (seconds) for near-real-time processing (Correct answer)
- A synonym for full batch processing
- Encrypting data in micro-second intervals
Correct answer: Collecting small batches of data over very short intervals (seconds) for near-real-time processing
Micro-batch processing collects data in very small time windows (e.g., every few seconds) to balance between true streaming latency and batch efficiency.
Question 6: In batch processing, what is a job scheduler responsible for?
- Encrypting data at rest
- Triggering batch jobs at defined times or when specific conditions are met (Correct answer)
- Managing user authentication
- Compressing output files
Correct answer: Triggering batch jobs at defined times or when specific conditions are met
A job scheduler automates when and how batch jobs run, triggering them based on time (cron), events, or dependencies between jobs.
Data Processing Batch Processing and Real-Time Processing 1
What is batch processing in data systems?