1.3 File-Based Systems vs. Database Systems

Before databases, organisations stored data in flat files, separate files maintained by each department. This file-based approach led to serious problems:

Problem with File-Based Systems

Example from Nigeria

Data Redundancy: Same data stored in multiple files

A student's address stored in separate files for bursary, registry, and library all must be updated when they move

Data Inconsistency: Different files have different values for the same data

Student's phone number differs between the admissions file and the hostel file

Difficulty in Accessing Data: Each query requires custom programs

IT staff must write a new program every time management needs a new report

Data Isolation: Data scattered across many files in different formats

Combining data from HR (Excel) and Payroll (text files) requires manual effort

Integrity Problems: Hard to enforce rules across separate files

No automatic check that a staff payment doesn't exceed the budgeted amount

Security Problems: Difficult to control access at a fine-grained level

Either everyone can access the entire HR file or no one can

Concurrency Problems: Multiple users modifying files simultaneously causes corruption

Two clerks updating the same student record simultaneously corrupt the file