Unit 5.3

Database vs. File System: Understanding the Difference

IT 231: IT and Application

Learning Objectives 🎯

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

✅ Describe the traditional file system approach to managing data.
✅ Identify the major problems associated with the file system approach.
✅ Explain how a database approach solves these problems.

The "Old Way": The File System Approach

Definition: Storing data in a collection of separate, application-specific files.

Think of it like separate digital filing cabinets for each department. 🗄️

The accounting department has its own set of files.
The sales department has a completely separate set of files.
Each application has its own private data.

Visualizing the File System Approach

The same customer data is duplicated across departments.

Accounting Dept.

customer_billing.csv

Contains: Name, Address, Bill

Sales Dept.

customer_contacts.txt

Contains: Name, Address, Phone

Marketing Dept.

mailing_list.xls

Contains: Name, Address, Email

🔍 This separation created several major problems for organizations.

Problem 1: Data Redundancy

The same piece of information is stored in multiple places unnecessarily.

Example: A customer's address is stored in:

The Sales file
The Marketing file
The Accounting file

Wasted Space & Effort

This wastes storage and requires multiple updates for a single change, leading to the next problem...

Problem 2: Data Inconsistency

A direct result of redundancy. When data is not updated everywhere, it becomes inconsistent and unreliable.

Scenario: Customer Moves

A customer, Sita Rai, moves from Pokhara to Kathmandu.

Sales updates their file: Address = Kathmandu ✅
Accounting forgets to update: Address = Pokhara ❌

Result: Which address is correct? The data cannot be trusted!

Problem 3: Data Isolation

Data is scattered in different files with different formats, making it difficult to access and integrate.

Sales Data

Format: .xls

Accounting Data

Format: .dat

Marketing Data

Format: .csv

Challenge: How do you write one program to get a complete, 360-degree view of a customer?

The Solution: A New Approach ⚡

Organizations needed a way to manage data that was centralized, consistent, and accessible.

Enter the Database Approach.

The Database Approach

The solution is to store all organizational data in a single, centralized location, managed by a specific software.

Database: A shared collection of logically related data.

Database Management System (DBMS): Software that controls the creation, maintenance, and use of a database (e.g., MySQL, Oracle, SQL Server).

File System vs. Database Approach

Before: File System

Sales File

Acct. File

Mktg. File

...leads to...

Redundancy & Inconsistency

After: Database

Sales App

Acct. App

Mktg. App

...all access...

📊 Central Database (via DBMS)

The database provides a "single source of truth" for the entire organization.

Practical Application: Nepal Context

Scenario: Vehicle Registration ("Yatayat")

Imagine the old file-based system for vehicle ownership (the "blue book").

Traffic Police Office: Has a file for fines and violations.
Transport Management Office (Yatayat): Has a file for ownership and tax records.
Insurance Company: Has a file for the insurance policy.

Problem: If you sell your scooter, the new owner's name might be updated at the Yatayat office but not in the Traffic Police's file. A traffic fine could be sent to you, the old owner! This is data inconsistency.

Solution: A modern, centralized database ensures all three departments see the same, up-to-date owner information from a single source.

Summary & Key Takeaways

The File System Approach stores data in separate, isolated files, leading to major problems.
The three core problems are Data Redundancy, Data Inconsistency, and Data Isolation.
The Database Approach solves this by using a central database and a DBMS to manage all data.
This creates a "single source of truth", ensuring data is consistent, secure, and easily shared across the organization.

Thank You!

Any Questions?

Next Up: Unit 5.5 - Database Management Systems (DBMS)

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