Disadvantages of Traditional File System A traditional file system has the following disadvantages. 1) Data Redundancy : Since each application has its own data file, the same data may have to be recorded and stored in many files.For example, personal file and payroll file, both contain data on employee name, designation etc. The result is unnecessary duplicate or redundant data items. This redundancy requires additional or higher storage space, costs extra time and money, and requires additional efforts to keep all files upto-date.
2) Data Inconsistency : Data redundancy redundanc y leads to data inconsistency especially when data is to be updated. Data inconsistency occurs due to the same data items that appear in more than one file do not get updated simultaneously in each and every file. For example, an employee is promoted from Clerk to Superintendent and the same is immediately updated in the payroll p ayroll file may not necessarily be updated in provident fund file. This results in two different designations of an employee at the same time. Over the period of time, such discrepencis degrade the quality of information contain in the data file that affects the accuracy of reports.
3) Lack of Data Integration : Since S ince independent data file exists, users face difficulty in getting information on any ad hoc query that requires accessing the data stored in many files. In such a case complicated programs have to be developed to retrieve data from every file or o r the users have to manually collect the required information.
4) Program Dependence: The reports produced by the file processing system are program dependent, which means if any an y change in the format or structure of data and records in the file is to be made, the programs have to modified correspondingly. Also, a new program will have to be developed to produce a new report.
5) Data Dependence : The Th e Applications/programs in file processing system are data dependent i.e., the file organization, its physical location and retrieval from the storage media are dictated by the requirements of the particular application. For example, in payroll application, the file may be organized on employee records sorted on their last name, which implies that accessing of any employee's record has to be through the last name only.
6) Limited Data Sharing : There islimited data sharing possibilities with the traditional file system. Each application has its own private files and users have little choice to share the data outside their own applications. Complex programs required to be written to obtain data from several incompatible files.
7) Poor Data Control : There was no centralised control at the data element level, he nce a traditional file system is decentralised in nature. It could be possible that the data field may have
multiple names defined by the different departments of an organization and depending on the file it was in. This situation leads to differentmeaning of a data field in different context or same meaning for different fields. This causes poor data co ntrol.
8) Problem of Security : It is very difficult to enforce secu rity checksand access rights in a traditional file system, since application programs are added in an adhoc manner.
9) Data Manipulation Capability is Inadequate : Th e data manipulation capability is very limited in traditional file systems since they do not provide strong relationships between data in different files.
Needs Excessive Programming: Anexcessive programming effort was needed to develop a new application program due to very high interdependence between program and data in a file system.Each new application requires that the developers start from the scratch by designing new file formats and descriptions and then write the file access lo gic for each new file. Advantages of the Database Approach = 1. Data Independence : The data is held in such a way that changes to the structure of the database do not affect any of the programs used to access the data. 2. Consistency of Data : Each item of data is held only once therefore no danger of item being updated on one system and not on another. 3. Control Over Redundancy : In a non-database system, the same information may be held on several files. This wastes space and makes updating more time-consuming. A database system minimizes these effects. 4. Integrity of Data : The DBMS provides users with the ability to specify constraints on data such as making a field entry essential or using a validation routine. 5. Greater Security of Data : The DBMS can ensure only authorized users are allowed access to the data. 6.Centralized Control of Data :
The Database Administrator will control who has access to what and will structure the database with the needs of the 7.More Information Available to Users : Users have access to a wider range of data that was previously held in seperate departments andsometimes on incompatible systems. 8. Increased Productivity : The DBMS provides an easy to use query language that allows users to get immediate response from their queries rather than having to use a specialist "programmer" to write queries for them. whole department in mind
= Disadvantages of the Database Approach =
1. Larger Size : More disk space is required and probably a larger and more powerful computer. 2. Greater Complexity : For optimum use the database must be very carefully designed. If not done well, the new system may fail to satisfy anyone. 3. Greater Impact of System Failure : "All eggs in one basket." 4. More Complex Recovery Procedures : If a system failure occurs it is vital that no data is lost. 5.Initial setup- expensive to install the database. 6. GIGO
Database Justification There is a threshold where it is of benefit to your organisation to employ a database to manage your interactions with your clients and report back to your sponsors. Here we suggest some objectives and their benefits of utilising a database.
Objectives To justify the investment of time into defining and selecting a database you would probably consider some simple objectives that a database must a chieve before you start looking in earnest. Which ever way you look at it a database has to deliver some definable improvements to your organisation, especially in terms of effectiveness and efficiency, therefore, in simple terms, if 3 or more of the list below apply to you then a database could deliver service improvements to your organisation.
Your records are not in one place You have 2 or more advocates who need to access and share client information You have 2 or more teams or departments Your service is offered from 2 or more sites, offices or buildings You have 5 or more client telephone calls a day You have 5 or more clients dropping into your offices a day You receive funding from 2 or more organisations who require detailed information Key workers work with clients for 3 months or more Team members need to access information while off-site in an em ergency Team members do not go to the office every day You have over 100 individual’s details a year to add and keep up to date The need to standardise processes The need to deliver our service consistently You have a legal obligation to maintain records for 6 years that will extend to over 5 00 individuals You organisation spends more than 1 hour a week trying to find information or produce reports
Benefits There are other, more subtle and less quantifiable, benefits that a database will also bring to your organisation and should be considered in conjunction with your objectives, which are:
To give your data or information more structure so you can find information quickly To increase communication between staff especially between key workers To access key information in an emergency To make it easier to provide holiday or sickness cover for key workers Team members do not have to go to the office everyday To encourage continuity as the same protocol or processes will be used by all To reduce errors because many fields are pre defined and selectable To free up time that was used to find information for reporting to funders, boards or team meetings
