Slide 1.6: Why this course Slide 1.8: Pros and cons of using file systems Home

Files Versus Databases

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Solutions
There are two ways to solve the previous problem by storing the data in files or databases. Partial data is moved to the memory when requested.

• File, which is a collection of data or information that has a name, called the filename. Almost all information stored in a computer must be in a file, which has these characteristics:
  • It is a single sequence of bytes.
  • It has a finite length.
  • It is stored in a non-volatile storage medium.
  • It exists (nominally) in a directory.
  • It has a name that it can be referred to by in file operations, possibly in combination with its path.
  Additionally, a file system may associate other information with a file, such as permission bits or other file attributes; timestamps for file creation, last revision, and last access, and other kinds of magic.


• Database, which is a collection of information organized in such a way that a computer program can quickly select desired pieces of data.
  
  

  To access information in a database, you need a database management system (DBMS), which is a collection of programs that enables you to enter, organize, and select data in a database. Traditional databases are organized by fields, records, and files.

  
  For an example of a telephone book, it contains a list of records, each of which consists of three fields: name, address, and phone number.