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History of Database Systems

1) Before the 1950s, data was stored as paper records which required a lot of manual work and time to search. 2) In the 1950s and 1960s, data began to be stored on magnetic tapes and punched cards for computer input and processing, allowing for more efficient storage but still only sequential access. 3) In the late 1960s and 1970s, hard disks emerged allowing direct data access and file-based storage systems, though these had limitations including data duplication, rigid queries, and incompatible formats between programs.

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91 views

History of Database Systems

1) Before the 1950s, data was stored as paper records which required a lot of manual work and time to search. 2) In the 1950s and 1960s, data began to be stored on magnetic tapes and punched cards for computer input and processing, allowing for more efficient storage but still only sequential access. 3) In the late 1960s and 1970s, hard disks emerged allowing direct data access and file-based storage systems, though these had limitations including data duplication, rigid queries, and incompatible formats between programs.

Uploaded by

Vds Krishna
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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History of Database Systems

N Nagarjuna
Early Manual System

• Before-1950s
– Data was stored as paper records.
– Lot of man power involved.
– Lot of time was wasted. e.g. when searching.
– Therefore inefficient.
• 1950s and early 1960s:
– Data processing using magnetic tapes for storage
– Tapes provide only sequential access
– Punched cards for input
Magnetic Tape

Magnetic tape was first used for data storage in 1951.


The tape device was called UNISERVO and was the main I/O device on the UNIVAC I
computer.
The effective transfer rate for the UNISERVO was about 7,200 characters per second.
The tapes were metal and 1200 feet long (365 meters) and therefore very heavy.
Punched tape

Same as with punch cards, punched tape was originally pioneered by


the textile industry for use with mechanized looms. For computers,
punch tape could be used for data input but also as a medium to output
data. Each row on the tape represented one character.
Magnetic drum memory

Invented all the way back in 1932 (in Austria), it was widely used in the
1950s and 60s as the main working memory of computers.
In the mid-1950s, magnetic drum memory had a capacity of around 10
kB.

Above left: The magnetic Drum Memory of the UNIVAC computer.


Above right: A 16-inch-long drum from the IBM 650 computer. It had
40 tracks, 10 kB of storage space, and spun at 12,500 revolutions per
minute.
Late 1960s and 1970s:

– Hard disks allow direct access to data


– Data stored in files
– Known as File Processing System
The first hard disk drive was the IBM Model 350 Disk File that came with
the IBM 305 RAMAC computer in 1956.
It had 50 24-inch discs with a total storage capacity of 5 million
characters (just under 5 MB).
File based systems
• Adequate for small applications
• Drawbacks
– Separation and isolation of data
– Each program maintains its own set of data.
– Users of one program may be unaware of
potentially useful data held by other programs.
File based systems (contd.)

• Duplication of data
– Same data is held by different locations.
– Wasted space and potentially different values and/or different
formats for the same item.
• Data dependence
– File structure is defined in the program code.
• Incompatible file formats
Programs are written in different languages, and so cannot easily
access each other’s files.
• Fixed Queries/Proliferation of application programs
Programs are written to satisfy particular functions.
Any new requirement needs a new program.

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