Data dictionary scope check: Which of the following is NOT information typically provided by a database’s data dictionary (system catalog)?

Introduction / Context:
A data dictionary contains metadata about the logical structure of a database: tables, columns, data types, lengths, constraints, indexes, views, and often privileges. This question asks you to identify something that does not belong in the dictionary’s scope of information.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The data dictionary (system catalog) documents database objects and their properties.
• Operational or hardware-level properties (for example, the total capacity of a disk device) are outside its typical scope.
• Some options in the list are statements that are not “information items” at all; we will use the Recovery-First Policy to interpret the intent as “pick the item that is not metadata about the database structure.”

Concept / Approach:
The dictionary stores logical and sometimes physical data characteristics related to the database objects themselves. It may include where data is located in terms of tablespaces, files, or partitions. However, the size of the disk storage device is a hardware attribute managed by the operating system or storage subsystem, not database metadata. Therefore, that item falls outside the typical contents of a data dictionary.

Step-by-Step Solution:
List dictionary contents: object names, columns, data types, lengths, constraints, storage segments/tablespaces.Compare to each option: “where data is located” can be cataloged via tablespace/file mappings.Identify out-of-scope: overall “size of the disk storage device” is not catalog metadata.Select the option that is clearly not provided by the dictionary.

Verification / Alternative check:
Inspect typical catalog views (for example, INFORMATION_SCHEMA in SQL-standard DBMSs or DBA_* views in Oracle): you will find table/column metadata and storage assignments but not hardware capacity metrics.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• where data is located: DBMS catalogs can track tablespaces, files, or partitions.
• Other statements (c, d, e): These are not database metadata fields and do not correctly describe dictionary contents; they are not suitable answers compared to the clearly incorrect “disk size” item.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing storage allocation metadata (which the DBMS tracks) with hardware inventory (tracked by OS/storage tools). Another pitfall is treating conceptual marketing claims as catalog entries, which they are not.

Final Answer:
the size of the disk storage device