Teradata MCQ Flashcards

Which Teradata utility is used to load large volumes of data into an empty table with maximum performance?

Answer: FastLoad

FastLoad is optimized for bulk loading into empty tables by bypassing the transient journal for maximum throughput.

What does the EXPLAIN plan in Teradata primarily show?

Answer: The execution strategy chosen by the optimizer

EXPLAIN displays the step-by-step execution plan that the Teradata Query Optimizer has chosen for a SQL statement.

In Teradata, what is a 'fallback' table?

Answer: A table with a duplicate copy of each row on a different AMP

Fallback protection stores a duplicate of every row on a different AMP so data remains accessible if one AMP fails.

Which SQL command in Teradata is used to remove all rows from a table without logging individual row deletions?

Answer: TRUNCATE TABLE

TRUNCATE TABLE removes all rows quickly without logging each deletion, making it faster than a full DELETE.

What is the purpose of the Teradata 'COLLECT STATISTICS' command?

Answer: To gather demographic data about column values for the optimizer

COLLECT STATISTICS gathers demographic information about column data distributions so the optimizer can build more efficient query plans.

In Teradata, what is a 'volatile table'?

Answer: A temporary table that exists only for the duration of a user session

Volatile tables are session-scoped temporary tables automatically dropped when the session ends.

Which Teradata feature allows a single query to be automatically routed to the best-performing node in a multi-system environment?

Answer: Unity Director

Unity Director provides transparent workload routing across multiple Teradata systems, directing queries to the optimal system automatically.