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Disadvantages of File System Data Management

Flat-file databases suffer from poor accessibility, data redundancy, lack of standard file access and the inability to organize data. Specifically, they do not allow relating data between files, leading to data being duplicated across multiple files. They also do not support access by multiple users simultaneously or transactions that retrieve data from multiple files at once. Additionally, flat-file databases are tied to the underlying file storage system, so any changes require updating all accessing software.

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CHAITANYA S. MATE
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543 views1 page

Disadvantages of File System Data Management

Flat-file databases suffer from poor accessibility, data redundancy, lack of standard file access and the inability to organize data. Specifically, they do not allow relating data between files, leading to data being duplicated across multiple files. They also do not support access by multiple users simultaneously or transactions that retrieve data from multiple files at once. Additionally, flat-file databases are tied to the underlying file storage system, so any changes require updating all accessing software.

Uploaded by

CHAITANYA S. MATE
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Disadvantages of File System Data

Management
File system data management (or flat-file databases) served as the only method of file storage
and retrieval before the advent of database management systems (such as relational
databases). While retaining some use, flat-file databases suffer from poor accessibility, data
redundancy, lack of standard file access and the inability to organize data.

Data Redundancy
 Since flat-file databases rely on files that contain records as text without any structural data,
they cannot relate data from one file to another. For example, if one file contains an address
record of Mr. Johnson, another file that uses address information on Mr. Johnson has to
recreate that data. The second file must duplicate the data. This means that the address data
on Mr. Johnson exists in two files at once. On large scales, this leads to data redundancy that
can quickly take up space in the database and prove cost-inefficient.

Limited User Access


 Flat-file systems usually do not support access for multiple users. This means that multiple
users at different workstations cannot access the same data simultaneously, limiting access to
important data if multiple users search for the same data at the same time

Lack of Storage and Access Standards


 Since a flat-file system relies on files to store data, it necessarily relies on the file system that
defines how those files are stored and read. This ties data to the system that stores it, and any
software used to access the data must conform to the system of storage. Accordingly, any
changes to the database require changes to all the software that accesses it.

Lack of Transactions
 Requesting data from a flat-file database simply retrieves data from a single file. Requesting
and retrieving data from various files at the same time (called a "transaction") is impossible.
This means that complex requests that make data retrieval accurate and efficient simply do
not exist.

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