Page 56 - DLIS408_INFORMATION_TECHNOLOGY-APPLICATIONSL SCIENCES

Unit 4: Database

Disadvantages of Database Systems Notes

In contrast to many advantages of the database systems, there are some disadvantages as well. The
disadvantages of a database system are as follows:
1. Complexity increases: The data structure may become more complex because of the centralised
database supporting many applications in an organization. This may lead to difficulties in
its management and may require professionals for management.
2. Requirement of more disk space: The wide functionality and more complexity increase the size
of DBMS. Thus, it requires much more space to store and run than the traditional file system.
3. Additional cost of hardware: The cost of database system’s installation is much more. It de-
pends on environment and functionality, size of the hardware and maintenance costs of
hardware.
4. Cost of conversion: The cost of conversion from old file-system to new database system is
very high. In some cases the cost of conversion is so high that the cost of DBMS and extra
hardware becomes insignificant. It also includes the cost of training manpower and hiring
the specialized manpower to convert and run the system.
5. Need of additional and specialized manpower: Any organization having database systems, need
to be hire and train its manpower on regular basis to design and implement databases and
to provide database administration services.
6. Need for backup and recovery: For a database system to be accurate and available all times, a
procedure is required to be developed and used for providing backup copies to all its users
when damage occurs.
7. Organizational conflict: A centralised and shared database system-requires a consensus on
data definitions and ownership as well as responsibilities for accurate data maintenance.
8. More installational and management cost: The big and complete database systems are more
costly. They require trained manpower to operate the system and has additional annual
maintenance and support costs.

Databases

A user seeks information to satisfy his or her information need which may be available in varieties
of documents stored a library/information centre. Library catalogues (both card catalogue and
OPAC) and other bibliographic databases act as an interface between users and their documents of
interest. Users approach to the documents, that can satisfy his/her information need, can be
categorised into two groups [Bhattacharya, 1979]-Known document approach and Unknown
document approach. In the first, case, user can specify a document by using the name(s) of its
author(s), or collaborator(s), or series, or by its title. When the query for the document is formulated
by using the name-of-subject contained in it, the approach is termed as unknown document
approach. The treatment of a document as unknown document in catalogues or bibliographic
databases requires subject description and bibliographic description. Similarly, the treatment of a
document to satisfy known document approach calls for bibliographic description and headings
or access points derived from bibliographic description. Bibliographic description is the process
of recording details for describing and identifying bibliographic items. The process of bibliographic
description requires standardisation, for making bibliographic file to be consistent. The
development of national, international and regional systems for the exchange of machine readable
bibliographic information will not be possible unless a high level of standardisation is attained. A
standard related to bibliographic description is a set of general rules agreed to internationally or
nationally. The practice of standard bibliographic description in the development of library
catalogues and bibliographic databases requires a series of operations. The identification of these
unit operations leads to the formulation of principles of bibliographic description and general
rules of procedures. The principles and general rules of bibliographic description provide a scientific
basis to the field of cataloguing and to the creation of bibliographic records. The application of ICT
to the cataloguing process has brought with it demands for precision and logic in the recording of

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