In an online transaction processing system (OLTP), which of the following actions should be taken when
erroneous or invalid transactions are detected?
A.
The transactions should be dropped from processing.
B.
The transactions should be processed after the program makes adjustments.
C.
The transactions should be written to a report and reviewed.
D.
The transactions should be corrected and reprocessed.
Explanation:
An online transaction processing system is used in conjunction with a database to commit transactions to a
database in real time. The database must maintain its integrity, meaning the data in the database must be
accurate at all times. Therefore, transactions must occur correctly or not at all to ensure that that only accurate
data are entered into the database. If any of the steps in a transaction fails to complete to due invalid data, all
the steps of the transaction are rolled back (dropped).
Incorrect Answers:
B: Invalid transactions should not be processed as it would affect the accuracy of the data and the integrity of
the database. Instead, the transaction should be dropped.
C: Writing the transaction to a report for later review would help identify potential problems and/or threats.
However, the database must maintain its integrity, meaning the data in the database must be accurate at all
times. This means that the invalid transactions should not be allowed as it would compromise the database
integrity. Therefore, the transaction should be dropped.
D: Generally, an online transaction processing system does not have mechanisms to correct invalid
transactions. These transactions are made by information entered into a web form or other front-end interface.
The user needs to correct their error and resubmit the information.
Harris, Shon, All In One CISSP Exam Guide, 6th Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2013, pp. 1180-1182, 1187-
1188
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_transaction_processing
http://databases.about.com/od/administration/g/concurrency.htm