SECTION 15 - APPROPRIATE FILE ORGANIZATION FOR PARTICULAR APPLICATION

FILE ACCESS METHODS

When a file is used, information is read and accessed into computer memory and there are several
ways to access this information of the file. There are several ways to access a file into a computer
system: Sequential Access, Index sequential Access, Serial Access, Direct Access and
Random Access. Sequential Access is the simplest access method.
Sequetial Access
Sequential access refers to retrieving data or information
from a magnetic disk or magnetic tape storage in a
predetermined, ordered sequence. With sequential
access, the device must move through all information up
to the location where it is attempting to read or write. For
example, in the image above, in order to access the fifth
record, you must first go through the first to fourth records.
Sequential access is sometimes the only way of accessing the
data, for example if it is on a magnetic tape. Magnetic tape is a
long and narrow strip of plastic that thin magnetic material is
coated on. Nearly all recording tape is of this type, whether used
for recording audio or video or computer data storage. Magnetic
tape recording uses magnetic tape which moves on a recording
head. They are used commercially for long-term or archival storage.
Indexed Sequential Access Method (ISAM) is a file management system developed at IBM that
allows records to be accessed either sequentially (in the order they were entered) or randomly (with
an index – alphabetic order). Each index defines a different ordering of the records. A key is
specified in each index.

Serial Access
Serial access is where data records are stored one after the other with no regard to the order. This is
usually an unprocessed file. Serial files are read by starting at the beginning and reading through
every record until you find the one that you want. Magnetic Tape and disks can be used to
store serial files.

Direct Access
Direct access is the ability to obtain data from a storage device by going directly to where it is
physically located on the device rather than by having to sequentially look for the data at one
physical location after another. Examples of storage devices
with direct access methods are hard disks, pen drives, CDs,
DVDs and floppy disks.

Random Access
Random access (more precisely and more generally called
direct access) is the ability to access an arbitrary element of a sequence in equal time or any datum

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from a population of addressable elements roughly as easily and efficiently as any other, no matter
how many elements may be in the set.
Application Areas
Application areas are deployment-oriented categories that focus on commonly deployed ITS
services or systems. Application areas provide a starting point for identifying the ITS standards and
other resources (e.g., case studies, lessons learned) that may be relevant to a specific type of
deployment. Some of the application areas of computers are banking, education, industries,
entertainments, hospitals, data processing etc. Of the various services available via the Internet, the
three most important are e-mail, web browsing, and peer-to-peer services.

Archiving
Archiving is collecting and moving of data to a repository for backup, to keep separate for
compliance reasons or for moving off primary storage media. It can include a simple list of files or files
organized under a directory or catalog structure (depending on how a particular program
supports archiving).
Payroll File
Payroll files are documents that have anything to do with an employee's paycheck. The documents
can be related to employment taxes, benefits, hours worked, or anything else you use for
running payroll.

Real-time System
Real Time System is a software system where the correct functioning of the system depends on the
results produced by the system and the time at which these results are produced. Few notes to be
pointed: It is time-critical. Hence, real-time systems must respond within specified period of time.

Online System
An online system is a computer or device connected to a network (such as Internet) and ready to use
(or be used by) other computers or devices. Examples of online system are services such as ticket
reservation systems and such as online help, available directly through a computer system or
under its direct control. Online data processing provides interaction with the end user.

Batch Processing is the processing of a group of jobs. It is a

general term used for frequently used programs
that are executed with minimum human interaction . Batch
process jobs can run without any end-user interaction or can be
scheduled to start up on their own as resources permit.
ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE PROCESSING OVER BATCH
PROCESSING
 Easy to use to do shopping online
 These systems have quick response time
 It is easy to fill out a form online and your job get processed
automatically by web and database servers

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 Online banks nowadays use online processing systems for money transactions
DISADVANTAGE OF ONLINE PROCESSING COMPARED TO BATCH PROCESSING
 All user data like credit card details, email addresses are kept on database servers so if website
get hacked or data loosed then it creates problem. For example Linkedin website which get
hacked and email and password get accessed by hackers and then displayed credential details of
users on internet by hackers
 If any hardware failure occurs in online processing systems then visitors of website get in trouble
and online transaction get stopped and effected

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONLINE AND REAL-TIME PROCESSING SYSTEMS

On-line data processing provides interaction with an end user.

TASKS AND APPROPRIATE PROCESSING MODES

Task Type of processing mode
Controlling a robotic arm Real Time Processing
Monthly stock processing Batch processing
Checking criminal records Real Time Processing
ATM transactions On-line data processing
Reserving a movie Real Time Processing
Booking a flight Real Time Processing

Real Time Processing is the processing of data based on

immediate input. There is a continual input, process and output of
data in this processing.

On-line data processing provides interaction with an end user (computations). Whenever data is
inputted in the system it gets processed immediately.

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Time-sharing Processing is the distribution of a
computing resource between various users by means
of multiprogramming and multi-tasking.

PROGRESS QUIZZES - (18 marks)

1. Define the following types of processing: (4 marks)

a. Batch b. Online data c. Real-time d. Time sharing
2. Give TWO advantages of ‘online processing’ over ‘batch processing’. (2 marks)
3. Label the following diagrams: (4 marks)
A B C D

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4. Give TWO disadvantages of ‘online processing’ over ‘batch processing’. (2 marks)
5. Complete the following table:: (6 marks)
Task Type of processing mode
Booking a flight
Reserving a movie
Monthly stock processing
Controlling a robotic arm
Checking criminal records
ATM transactions