Traditional File Systems Overview

Study Notes

Before computers, manual file systems were used to store data, which involved physical files for easy retrieval of information.
Traditional File Systems were introduced to overcome the limitations of manual systems.
Traditional File Systems stored data in separate files for each department or function, leading to data redundancy.

Example: Student data stored in separate files for library, exams, and registration, leading to duplicated student information (name, number, etc.).

Advantages: Simple functionality suitable for small businesses and home users; less expensive.
Disadvantages: No multi-user access support; limited to small organizations; limited functionality (lack of complex transaction support, recovery, etc.); data decentralization; redundancy and integrity issues.

Centralizes data storage within a single database.
Database is physically stored in files, but users and applications interact with an abstract view of the data.
Relationships between data sets are represented within the database.
Database description (schema) is stored along with data, allowing Database Management Systems (DBMS) to retrieve and store data efficiently.
Applications don't directly access the database; they interact through the DBMS.

File Management Systems (FMS) are predecessors to Database Management Systems (DBMS).
FMS allowed access to single files, while DBMS facilitates access to multiple files or tables at a time.
FMS works with flat files, while DBMS manages relational data.

Eliminates data redundancy during storage and development/maintenance.
Enables data sharing across multiple users.
Restricts unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Provides efficient storage structures for data retrieval through queries.
Offers data independence, separating data representation and storage from user interaction.
Facilitates efficient data access through various storage and retrieval techniques.
Enforces data integrity constraints.
Manages data administration, treating data as a valuable organizational resource.
Supports concurrent access and crash recovery, allowing multiple users to access data without conflicts and protecting the system from failures.
Reduces application development time by providing common functions required across applications.

Categorized as actors on the scene (those who use and control data) and workers behind the scene (those responsible for developing the database and DBMS software).