A small company is currently using a shared spreadsheet, which acts as a flat file, on a network drive to track inventory. As the company grows, multiple employees need to update the inventory at the same time, leading to data overwrites and inconsistencies. Which of the following is the primary advantage of migrating to a database system in this scenario?
It simplifies the data structure by requiring all data to be in a single table.
It can only be stored in the cloud, which increases data availability.
It eliminates the need for data backups.
It provides robust support for concurrent user access, preventing data inconsistencies.
A key advantage of a database system over a flat file is its ability to manage concurrent access by multiple users. Databases use locking mechanisms and transaction management to prevent data corruption and ensure data integrity when several users are reading and writing data simultaneously. While flat files are simple, they lack these concurrency controls, making them unsuitable for multi-user environments where simultaneous updates are common.
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What is concurrency control in a database?
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What are data locking mechanisms, and how do they prevent overwrites?
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What are the differences between a flat file and a database system?