Introduction to Database

System Approach and File

Based System Approach
 DATA AND INFORMATION
DATA INFORMATION
Data is unorganised raw facts that Information is a processed, organised
need processing without which it is data presented in a given context and
seemingly random and useless to is useful to humans.
humans.

Data is an individual unit that Information is a group of data that

contains raw material which does not collectively carry a logical meaning.
carry any specific meaning.

Metadata data that describes the

properties and context of user data

Data doesn’t depend on information. Information depends on data.

For Example: 21072020 For Example: 21/07/2020
 What is a Database
• Def 1: Database is a well organized collection of
logically related data which can be shared by
multiple users. Logically related data comprises
entities, attributes, and relationships of an
organization’s information.
Def 2: A database models a particular real world
system in the computer in the form of data.
Models real-world enterprise.
 Entities (e.g., students, courses)
 Relationships (e.g., Madonna is taking CS564)
 Features of Data in a Database
• It should be well organized.
• It should be related.
• It should be integrated or it should be correct.
• It should be shared among different users as
well as applications.
• It should be stored permanently so that it can
be used later on.
• It should be accessible.
• It should be secured from the unauthorized
user’s access.
• It should be stored only once and can be used
again and again.
• It should be flexible to change.
 Database Management System
(DBMS)
• a software package designed to store and
manage databases.

• Examples of Database Applications:

 Banking: all transactions
 Airlines: reservations, schedules
 Universities: registration, grades
Traditional File Processing System

 In a File System, data is directly stored in set of

files. It contains flat files that have no relation to
other files (when only one table is stored in single
file, then this file is known as flat file).

 File systems may use a storage device such as a

hard disk or CD-ROM and involve maintaining
the physical location of the files
 A file processing system is a collection of
programs that store and manage files in computer
hard-disk. Each program defines and manages
its own data.

 On the other hand, A database management

system is collection of programs that enables to
create and maintain a database. DBMS also serves
as an interface between the database and end users
or application programs.
File system has many separate and unrelated files with redundant
data, each program defines and manages its own data.
• Registration File
Name Registrati Roll no. Deptt. Mob. Class
on No. No.

• Examination File

Name Roll No. Subject Class Deptt.

• Library File
Name Roll No. Class Lib entry Deptt.
no.
 Disadvantages of Traditional File
Processing System
• Data redundancy: Data redundancy refers to the duplication of data,
Example 1. lets say we are managing the data of a college where a
student is enrolled for two courses, the same student details in such
case will be stored twice, which will take more storage than needed.
Data redundancy often leads to higher storage costs and poor access
time.
• Course 1 Details

Name Class Deptt. Address

Ajay PGDCA ODL XYZ

• Course 2 Details

Name Class Deptt. Address

Ajay ID CSE XYZ
• Example 2. In University system, the fields
Name, address, roll no, telephone number may
be stored on multiple files such as library,
Examination and Registration’s files. So this
repetition causes
1. unnecessary data entry again and again thus
resulting in wastage of time.
2. Additional storage capacity with higher costs
3. More maintenance headaches
• Data inconsistency: Data redundancy leads to data
inconsistency, lets take the same example that we
have taken above, a student is enrolled for two courses
and we have student address stored twice, now lets
say student requests to change his address, if the
address is changed at one place and not on all the
records then this can lead to data inconsistency.

• Data Isolation ( Difficult to share Data): Because

data are scattered in various files, and files may be in
different formats, writing new application programs to
retrieve the appropriate data is difficult.
• Dependency on application programs:
Changing files would lead to change in
application programs.

• Data Security: Data should be secured from

unauthorised access, for example a student in a
college should not be able to see the payroll
details of the teachers, such kind of security
constraints are difficult to apply in file
processing systems.
 Advantages of Database Management
System over File System
• No redundant data: Redundancy removed by data
normalization. No data duplication saves storage and
improves access time.
• Data Consistency and Integrity: As we discussed earlier the
root cause of data inconsistency is data redundancy, since data
normalization takes care of the data redundancy, data
inconsistency also been taken care of as part of it
• Data Security: It is easier to apply access constraints in
database systems so that only authorized user is able to access
the data. Each user has a different set of access thus data is
secured from the issues such as identity theft, data leaks and
misuse of data.
• Privacy: Limited access means privacy of data.
• Easy access to data – Database systems manages
data in such a way so that the data is easily accessible
with fast response times.
• Easy recovery: Since database systems keeps the
backup of data, it is easier to do a full recovery of
data in case of a failure.
• Flexible: Database systems are more flexible than file
processing systems.
Database consists of logically related data stored in a single data repository.
In this Approach , logically related data is shared by multiple application
programs. DBMS acts as an interface between database and Application
Programs.
 Disadvantages of Database
Management System

• DBMS implementation cost is high

compared to the file system.
• Complexity: Database systems are
complex to understand.
File System Approach Database Approach
Each application has its It has a collection of
own private data files interrelated files
It is cheaper to design It is expensive to design
Problem of Redundancy It controls the problem of
and Inconsistency Redundancy and
Inconsistency
Multiple user access to the Allow Multiple users to
information is difficult to acces the database at
provide. same time
Its examples are Cobol, C+ Its examples are Oracle,
+ etc. SQL Server etc.