Chapter 6, Problem 1RQ

Explanation of Solution

Problems of managing data resources in a traditional file environment

• The traditional file environment creates many problems of managing data resources.
• The problems include data redundancy and inconsistency, program data dependence, inflexibility, poor security and lack of data sharing and availability...

Explanation of Solution

Components in the data hierarchy

The components in the data hierarchy include database, file, record, field, byte and bit.

Database

• A database is a collection or group of related files that belong to an organization or firm.
• It is a structured set of data held in a computer.
• It is a data structure that stores organized information.

File

• A file is a collection or group of company records that contain specific information.
• It is a common storage unit in a computer.
• It is a sequence of records stored in binary format.

Record

• A record is the collection of a group of related fields.
• A record of an employee includes personal information, work history, job accomplishments, and salary information...

Explanation of Solution

Significance of entity, attribute and key fields

Entity

• Entity is a mass block for building the data collected about person, place, event or thing.
• Entities represent attributes with multiple instances.
• Hence entity is about collection of data regarding person, place or thing.
• Examples of entities are patient, musician and so on.

Attribute

• An attribute is the property of an entity.
• It has the information about entity and this information is captured within the attribute...

Explanation of Solution

Problems in a traditional file environment

The problems of traditional file environment include:

Data redundancy and inconsistency

• The copy of content in several fields leads to redundancy and hence duplication occurs.
• This is because the organization stores same content of data in different names independently.
• This wastes the resource for storage and hence leads to inconsistency.
• Hence this leads to confusion because different coding systems are represented for same attribute.

Program data dependence

• This represents the coupling of data in file with small programs to update and maintain files.
• If there are changes in the data, then the dependent file also need to be changed.
• That is if the original data file is changed, then the other files related to that original file also needs to be changed...