File Oriented Approach and Purpose of Database System

File Oriented Approach

The earliest business computer systems were used to process business records and produce information. They were generally faster and more accurate than equivalent manual systems. These systems stored groups of records in separate files, and so they were called file processing systems. In a typical file processing systems, each department has its own files, designed specifically for those applications. The department itself working with the data processing staff sets policies or standards for the format and maintenance of its files. Programs are dependent on the files and vice-versa; that is, when the physical format of the file is changed, the program has also to be changed. Although the traditional file-oriented approach to information processing is still widely used, it does have some very important disadvantages. 

Purpose of Database System

There are some drawbacks of using file systems to store data:

1. Data redundancy and inconsistency: Data redundancy is a condition that occurs when the same piece of data exists in multiple places in the database whereas data inconsistency is a condition that occurs when the same data exists in different formats in multiple tables.

2. Difficulty in accessing data: Accessing data is not convenient and efficient in the file processing system.

3. Data isolation – multiple files and formats: 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.

4. Integrity problems: Data integrity means that the data contained in the database in both correct and consistent for this purpose the data stored in the database must satisfy correct and constraints.

5. Atomicity of updates: Atomicity of a transaction refers to “All or nothing”, which means either all the operations in a transaction executes or none.

6. Concurrent access by multiple users: Multiple users are allowed to access data simultaneously.this is for the sake of better performance and faster response.

7. Security problems: Data should be secured from unauthorized 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.