Pros and Cons of Using File Systems
Pros of Using File Systems:
- It is efficient since it does not have the same computing overhead as using a database.
- It is flexible because developers can design and implement file structures and file processing methods specific for the problems.
Cons of Using File Systems:
- It requires the developers to define and implement file structures and file processing methods for each application.
- It is unable to span files over several disks.
- It is difficult and expensive to change the format of files and the specific files that are used by the programs.
- File processing leads to a lack of consistency between files.
The classic example is when an employee leaves a company, his name is taken off the payroll system, but his security access is not revoked.
- File processing also results in wasted storage.
Summary
In conclusion, files are a useful alternative to databases only where
- the information is only going to be accessed by a single user,
- speed of data input is vital, or
- the amount of data being stored is relatively small.
†Using databases can relieve developers' task of designing file structures for their applications.
However, flexibility is the cost.
In fact,
a DBMS is, first and foremost, a disk access manager.
‡Actually, this course is a study of advanced data structures with data in both of the computer memory and the secondary storage.