Session A7: Telemetry Data and Database Management
Cindy Fitzgerald · ScholarWorks@UMassAmherst (University of Massachusetts Amherst) · 2015
Abstract: One of the most overlooked but critical component of telemetry studies is database management. Database management is the cornerstone to providing accurate and creditable data for analysis. In the last decade it has become a necessary element in fisheries research as different telemetry technologies and study designs require different database needs. Researchers can quickly become overwhelmed by the sheer volume and/or complexity of data without an appropriate system of management to organize, store and make vital data accessible in real-time. Some of the tools available for data management include the Microsoft SQL Server with front-end data access through Microsoft Access or WebFOCUS. These programs offer many important functions including the ability to query specific components of data sets, generate reports by pushbutton, run repeatable programming processes and validate data in an accurate and expeditious way. They also reduce the potential for human error by the organization and automation of the process and allows for robust quality control and assurance of data sets. Microsoft Access databases can be easily utilized in the field for data entry and pushbutton data validation and reporting. Microsoft SQL Server is a more complex system typically used for larger data sets and requires a more skilled manager for proper usage.