Before the advent of databases, computer systems stored information in decentralized flat files. As organizational data expanded, file-based storage encountered insurmountable obstacles:
| Challenge / Parameter | Traditional Flat File System | Relational DBMS (RDBMS) Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Data Redundancy | Massive duplication. The same student name and address is typed into accounts, library, and exam files separately. | Controlled redundancy through normalization; data is stored once in a centralized master table. |
| Data Inconsistency | High risk. If a student updates their phone number in the library file, the accounts file still holds the obsolete number. | Centralized updates guarantee that an edit in one relation instantly reflects across the entire system. |
| Concurrent Access & Isolation | File locking prevents simultaneous edits or overwrites previous user changes without warning. | Sophisticated multi-user concurrency control with row-level transaction locks and ACID safeguards. |
| Data Security & Access Control | All-or-nothing file access; difficult to restrict specific confidential columns (like salaries). | Role-based access control (RBAC), view-level masking, and granular cryptographic authorization. |