File-Oriented Systems Versus Database Systems

File-oriented systems versus
database systems
Computer-based data processing systems
were initially used for scientific and
engineering calculations.
The manual system worked well as data
repository as long as the data collection
were
relatively
small
and
the
organisations managers has few reporting
requirements.
As the organisations grew and as the

reporting requirements became more
complex, it became difficult in keeping
track of data in the manual file system.
Also report generation from a manual file
system could be slow and cumbersome.
Thus, this manual filing system was
replaced with a computer-based filing
system.
File-oriented systems were an early attempt

to computerize the manual filing system .
These systems performed normal recordkeeping functions, they were called data
processing (DP) systems.
The following shows an example of fileoriented system of an organisation engaged
in product distribution.
Each table represents a file in the system.
PRODUCT
PRODUCT-ID
PRODUCT-DESC
MANUF-ID
UNIT-COST
A12345
STEEL ALMIRAH
100
4000
B23412
DRYER
200
4500
B44332
FREEZE
210
6000
A98765
STEEL TABLE
105
3500
A29834
STEEL CHAIR
110
4800
C11008
IRON MOULDING
444
5100
CUSTOMER
CUSTID
CUSTNAME
CUSTADDRESS
1001
Waterhous Box 41,

e ltd.
Mumbai
India
241701
5
45,000
1000
KLY
System
USA
200089
4
33,550
1005
Megapoint C-12, Pataya,

s
Goa
India
222200
9
74,314
1010
Concept
Shapers
32, Main
Road, Ranchi
India
459873
3
49,444
1006
Trinity
Agencies
P.O.Box 266,
Tokyo
Japan
234567
8
55,542
41, 1st street,

Chicago
COUNTR TEL-NO BALY

AMT
SALES
SALEDATE
CUST-ID
PROD-ID
QTY
UNITPRICE
02/12/0
2
1001
A12345
100
6,700
10/10/0
2
1000
B23412
250
4,000
12/12/0
3
1010
B44332
120
14,000
01/04/0
4
1005
A98765
110
5,500
30/02/0
4
1001
A29834
300
12,999
The above table shows

product file, sales file.
customer
file,
Each row in these files represents a record

in the file.
Product file contains 6 records and each
of these records contains data about
different products.
The individual data items or fields in the
PRODUCT file are PRODUCT-ID, PRODUCTDESC, MANUF-ID, UNIT-COST.
CUSTOMER file contains 5 records and

each of these records contains data about
customer.
The individual data items in CUSTOMER
file are CUST-ID, CUST-NAME, CUSTADDRESS, COUNTRY, TEL-NO AND BALAMT.
Similarly, SALES file contains 5 records

and each of these records contains
data about sales activities.
The individual data items in SALES file
are SALES-DATE, CUST-ID, PROD-ID,
QTY, UNIT-PRICE.
With the assistance of DP department,

the files were used for a number of
different applications by the user
departments.
e.g. account receivable program written
to generate billing statements for
customers.
This program used the CUSTOMER
AND SALES files and these files were
both stored in the computer in order by
CUST-ID and were merged to create a
printed statement.
USER DEPARTMENT
USER DEPARTMENT
DATA ENTRY AND

REPORTS
DATA ENTRY AND

REPORTS
ACCOUNTS
RECEIVALBE
PROGRAM
(APPLILCATION
FILE
FILE
PROGRAM)
DEFINITI
HANDLIN
ON
G
ROUTINES
SALES STATEMENT
PROGRAM
APPLICATION
SOFTWARE
FILE
FILE
DEFINITI HANDLIN
ON
G
ROUTINES
CUSTOME
R FILE
SALES
FILE
PRODUCT
FILE
SALES
FILE
The physical structure and storage of data files

and records are defined in the application
program as follows.
a) Sales department stores details relating
to sales performance, namely SALES(SALEDATE, CUST-ID, PROD-ID, QTY, UNIT-PRICE)
b)
Customer department stores details
relating to customer invoice realization
summary, namely CUSTOMER(CUST-ID, CUSTNAME, CUST-ADD, COUNTRY, TEL-NO,BAL-AMT).
c)
Product department stores details
relating to product categorization summary,
namely
PRODUCT(PROD-ID,
PROD-DESC,
MANUF-ID, UNIT-COST)
It can been seen from the above

example that there is significant
amount of duplication of data storage
in different departments (for example,
CUST-ID AND PROD-ID), which is
generally true with the file-oriented
systems.
Advantages of File Oriented Systems

1) It provides a useful historical perspective
on how we handle data.
2) The characteristics of a file-based system
helps in an overall understanding of
design complexity of database systems.
3) Understanding the problems and
knowledge of limitation inherent in the
file-based system help avoid these same
problem when designing database
systems thereby resulting in smooth
transition.
Disadvantages of File Oriented Systems

1) Data redundancy (or duplication):decentralized approach, used their own
independent application programs and
special files of data.
resulted in duplication of same data
and information in several files.
This redundancy and duplication of
data is wasteful and requires additional
or higher storage space, costs extra
time
and
money,
and
requires
increased effort to keep files up-to-
2) Data inconsistency
integrity):-
(or
loss
of
data
Data redundancy also leads to data

inconsistency (or loss of data
integrity), since either the data
formats may be inconsistent or
data values (various copies of the
same data) may no longer agree
or both.
PROD-DESC
PROD-DES
STEEL CHR
STEEL CHAIR
15
CHARACTE
RS
20
CHARACTE
RS
SALES FILE
PRODUCT FILE
PRODDESC
STEEL CH
10
CHARACTE
RS
ACCOUNTS
FILE
3) Program Data Independence:Changes in one may effect the changes

in the other file descriptions.
4) Poor Data Control:Decentralised
multiple names
different meanings of a data field in
different context
5) Limited data sharing:Because application has its own
private files and users have little
opportunity to share data outside
their own applications.
6) Inadequate data
capabilities:-
manipulation
7) Excessive programming effort:High

interdependence
between
programs and data in fileoriented system and therefore it
needs
an
excessive
programming effort.
8) Security problems
Database System Environment:A database system refers to an

organisation of components that define and
regulate
the
collection,
storage
management and use of data within a
database environment. It consists of four
main parts.
1)
2)
3)
4)
Data
Hardware
Software
Users (people)
Data:Most important component of database.

The totality of data in the system is all
stored in a single database
The data in a data base can be both
1) Integrated
2) Shared
Depending on the size and requirement
of an organisation or enterprise, db system
are availabe on machine ranging from
single user system to multi user system.
Hardware:All the physical devices of a computer are

termed as hardware.
The hardware can be divided into two
components.
1) The processor and associated main
memory to support the execution of db
system (DBMS) software and
2)
The secondary (or external) storage
devices (for example hard disk, magnetic
disks, compact disks, and so on) that are
used to hold the stored data, together with
the associated peripherals (for example,
input/output devices, device controllers,
input/output channels and so on.)
Software:It is the basic interface (or layer) between

the physical database and the users.
It is most commonly known as database
management systems (DBMS).
It comprises the applications programs
together with the operating system software.
All requests from the users to access the
database are handled by DBMS.
Application programs are written typically

in a third-generation programming language
(3GL), such as ,C, C++, Visual Basic, Java,
COBOL, Ada, Pascal, Fortran and so on.
They
also
use
fourth
languages such as SQL.
generation
Users:They are the people interacting with

the database system in any form.
There could be various categories of
users.
1) application programmers
2) end users
3) DBAs
4) Database designers
ADVANTAGES OF DBMS
1) Minimal data redundancy
2) Program-data independence
3) Efficient data access
4) Improved data sharing
5) Improved data consistency
6) Improved data integrity
7) Improved security
8) Increased productivity
development
of
application
9) Enforcement of standards
10)Economy of scale
11)Balance of conflicting requirements.
12)Improved
data
responsiveness.
accessibility
and
13) Increased concurrency

14) Reduced program maintenance
15)
Improved
services
backup
16) Improved data quality.
and
recovery
DISADVANTAGES OF DBMS
1) Increased complexity
2) Requirement of new and specialized
manpower
3) Large size of DBMS
4) Increased Installation and management
cost.
5) Additional hardware cost
6) Conversion cost
7) Need for explicit backup and recovery
8) Organizational conflict

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File-oriented systems versus

As the organisations grew and as the

File-oriented systems were an early attempt

Waterhous Box 41,

Megapoint C-12, Pataya,

41, 1st street,

COUNTR TEL-NO BALY

The above table shows

Each row in these files represents a record

CUSTOMER file contains 5 records and

Similarly, SALES file contains 5 records

With the assistance of DP department,

DATA ENTRY AND

DATA ENTRY AND

The physical structure and storage of data files

It can been seen from the above

Advantages of File Oriented Systems

Disadvantages of File Oriented Systems

Data redundancy also leads to data

3) Program Data Independence:Changes in one may effect the changes

7) Excessive programming effort:High

Database System Environment:A database system refers to an

Data:Most important component of database.

Hardware:All the physical devices of a computer are

Software:It is the basic interface (or layer) between

Application programs are written typically

Users:They are the people interacting with

13) Increased concurrency

16) Improved data quality.

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