Management Information System Assignment#

Submitted to: Prof. Tanveer Ahmed

TOPICS
1. WHAT ARE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH FILES SYSTEM FOR STORING DATA AND
WHAT ARE BENEFITS OF DATABASE.

2. WHAT IS DATA MINING? WHY ORGANIZATION TODAY USE DATA MINING

TECHNIQUES FOR PRACTICING AND EXAMENING LARGE PRE-EXISTING DATABASES

Submitted By: Jazib Ahmed, Naqeeb Uz Zaman, Rizwan Arshad

Registration#: 0013 0007 0015

Submission date: 10/1/2017

 1. Before using the Database Management System (DBMS), the
institute using the File Processing System (FPS) following are the
problems faced by them while using (FPS):

File processing system is good when there is only limited number of files and data
in are very less. As the data and files in the system grow, handling them becomes
difficult.

1. Data Mapping and Access:

Although all the related information’s are grouped and stored in different files,
there is no mapping between any two files. I.e. any two dependent files are not
linked. Even though Student files and Student Report files are related, they are
two different files and they are not linked by any means. Hence if we need to
display student details along with his report, we cannot directly pick from those
two files. We have to write a lengthy program to search Student file first, get all
details, then go Student Report file and search for his report.

When there is very huge amount of data, it is always a time consuming task to
search for particular information from the file system. It is always an inefficient
method to search for the data.

2. Data Redundancy:

There are no methods to validate the insertion of duplicate data in file system.
Any user can enter any data. File system does not validate for the kind of data
being entered nor does it validate for previous existence of the same data in the
same file. Duplicate data in the system is not appreciated as it is a waste of space,
and always lead to confusion and mishandling of data. When there are duplicate
data in the file, and if we need to update or delete the record, we might end up in
updating/deleting one of the record, leaving the other record in the file. Again the
file system does not validate this process. Hence the purpose of storing the data is
lost.

Though the file name says Student file, there is a chance of entering staff
information or his report information in the file. File system allows any
 information to be entered into any file. It does not isolate the data being entered
from the group it belongs to.

3. Data Dependence:

 In the files, data are stored in specific format, say tab, comma or semicolon. If the
format of any of the file is changed, then the program for processing this file
needs to be changed. But there would be many programs dependent on this file.
We need to know in advance all the programs which are using this file and change
in the entire place. Missing to change in any one place will fail whole application.
Similarly, changes in storage structure, or accessing the data, affect all the places
where this file is being used. We have to change it entire programs. That is
smallest change in the file affect all the programs and need changes in all them.

4. Data inconsistency:

Imagine Student and Student Report files have student’s address in it, and there
was a change request for one particular student’s address. The program searched
only Student file for the address and it updated it correctly. There is another
program which prints the student’s report and mails it to the address mentioned
in the Student Report file. What happens to the report of a student whose
address is being changed? There is a mismatch in the actual address and his
report is sent to his old address. This mismatch in different copies of same data is
called data inconsistency. This has occurred here, because there is no proper
listing of files which has same copies of data.

5. Data Isolation:

Imagine we have to generate a single report of student, who is studying in

particular class, his study report, his library book details, and hostel information.
All these information’s are stored in different files. How do we get all these details
in one report? We have to write a program. But before writing the program, the
programmer should find out which all files have the information needed, what is
the format of each file, how to search data in each file etc. Once all these analysis
is done, he writes a program. If there is 2-3 files involved, programming would be
bit simple. Imagine if there is lot many files involved in it? It would be require lot
of effort from the programmer. Since all the data’s are isolated from each other in
different files, programming becomes difficult.
6. Security:

Each file can be password protected. But what if have to give access to only few
records in the file? For example, user has to be given access to view only their
bank account information in the file. This is very difficult in the file system.

7. Integrity:

If we need to check for certain insertion criteria while entering the data into file it
is not possible directly. We can do it writing programs. Say, if we have to restrict
the students above age 18, then it is by means of program alone. There is no
direct checking facility in the file system. Hence these kinds of integrity checks are
not easy in file system.

8. Atomicity:

If there is any failure to insert, update or delete in the file system, there is no
mechanism to switch back to the previous state. Imagine marks for one particular
subject needs to be entered into the Report file and then total needs to be
calculated. But after entering the new marks, file is closed without saving. That
means whole of the required transaction is not performed. Only the totaling of
marks has been done, but addition of marks not being done. The total mark
calculated is wrong in this case. Atomicity refers to completion of whole
transaction or not completing it at all. Partial completion of any transaction leads
to incorrect data in the system. File system does not guarantee the atomicity. It
may be possible with complex programs, but introduce for each of transaction
costs money.

9. Concurrent Access:

Accessing the same data from the same file is called concurrent access. In the file
system, concurrent access leads to incorrect data. For example, a student wants
to borrow a book from the library. He searches for the book in the library file and
sees that only one copy is available. At the same time another student also, wants
to borrow same book and checks that one copy available. First student opt for
borrow and gets the book. But it is still not updated to zero copy in the file and
the second student also opt for borrow! But there are no books available. This is
the problem of concurrent access in the file system

After that the institution adopts the Database Management System and
followings are the easements/Advantages they get.

The database management system has promising potential advantages, which are
explained below:
 
1. Controlling Redundancy:
 In file system, each application has its own private files, which cannot be shared
between multiple applications. This can often lead to considerable redundancy in
the stored data, which results in wastage of storage space. By having centralized
database most of this can be avoided. It is not possible that all redundancy should
be eliminated. Sometimes there are sound business and technical reasons for·
maintaining multiple copies of the same data. In a database system, however this
redundancy can be controlled.

It is clear in the above database that Roll no, Name, Class, Father Name, Address,
Phone No, Date of birth which are stored repeatedly in file system in each
application, need not be stored repeatedly in case of database, because every
other application can access this information by joining of relations on the basis of
common column i.e. Roll no. Suppose any user of Library system need the Name,
Address of any particular student and by joining of Library and General Office
relations on the basis of column Roll no he/she can easily retrieve this
information.

2. Integrity can be enforced: 

Integrity of data means that data in database is always accurate, such that
incorrect information cannot be stored in database. In order to maintain the
integrity of data, some integrity constraints are enforced on the database. A
DBMS should provide capabilities for defining and enforcing the constraints.
For Example: Let us consider the case of college database and suppose that
college having only B.COM, MSC, BBA and MBA classes. But if we enters the class
ADP, then this incorrect information must not be stored in database and must be
prompted that this is an invalid data entry. In order to enforce this, the integrity
constraint must be applied to the class attribute of the student entity. But, in case
of file system tins constraint must be enforced on all the application separately.

3. Data can be shared: 

As explained earlier, the data about Name, Class, and Father Name etc. of General
Office is shared by multiple applications in centralized DBMS as compared to file
system so now applications can be developed to operate against the same stored
data. The applications may be developed without having to create any new stored
files.

4. Restricting unauthorized access:

 When multiple users share a database, it is likely that some users will not be
authorized to access all information in the database. For example, account office
data is often considered confidential, and hence only authorized persons are
allowed to access such data. In addition, some users may be permitted only to
retrieve data, whereas other is allowed both to retrieve and to update. Hence,
the type of access operation retrieval or update must also be controlled. A DBMS
should provide a security and authorization subsystem, which the DBA uses to
create accounts and to specify account restrictions. The DBMS should then
enforce these restrictions automatically.

5. Solving Enterprise Requirement than Individual Requirement:  

Since many types of users with varying level of technical knowledge use a
database, a DBMS should provide a variety of user interface. The overall
requirements of the enterprise are more important than the individual user
requirements. So, the DBA can structure the database system to provide an
overall service that is "best for the enterprise".

6. Providing Backup and Recovery:

 A DBMS must provide facilities for recovering from hardware or software failures.
The backup and recovery subsystem of the DBMS is responsible for recovery. For
example, if the computer system fails in the middle of a complex update program,
the recovery subsystem is responsible for making sure that the .database is
restored to the state it was in before the program started executing.

7. Cost of developing and maintaining system is lower:

 It is much easier to respond to unanticipated requests when data is centralized in

a database than when it is stored in a conventional file system. Although the
initial cost of setting up of a database can be large, but the cost of developing and
maintaining application programs to be far lower than for similar service using
conventional systems. The productivity of programmers can be higher in using
non-procedural languages that have been developed with DBMS than using
procedural languages.

8. Data Model can be developed : 

The centralized system is able to represent the complex data and interfile
relationships, which results better data modeling properties. The data madding
properties of relational model is based on Entity and their Relationship.
9. Concurrency Control :

 DBMS systems provide mechanisms to provide concurrent access of data to

multiple users.