Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 13: Problem 16

What is the difference between a file organization and an access method?

Short Answer

Expert verified
File organization is the technique of organizing files for efficient use within a storage medium while access method is the technique used to read and write data items from a database. They differ in their roles: file organization is about arrangement and storage of data, while access method is about fetching this stored data.

Step by step solution

01

Define File Organization

File organization refers to the technique of arranging and organizing files in a particular method to enhance the efficiency of a database. The different types of file organization include sequential, indexed, and hashed file organization. It's all about how data records are physically organized in a storage medium.
02

Define Access Method

Access method, on the other hand, is the manner through which these files that have been organized in the database can be accessed. Examples include sequential, indexed, and direct access. It's all about how these data items can be read and written from a database.
03

Distinguish Between the Two

Although file organization and access method may have similar categories, they serve distinct roles. While file organization is about arrangement and storage of data, access method deals with fetching this stored data. We could say file organization sets the groundwork that will later influence how the access method will fetch the data.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Suppose we want to create a linear hash file with a file load factor of 0.7 and a block. ing factor of 20 records per bucket, which is to contain 112,000 records initially. a. How many buckets should we allocate in the primary area? b. What should be the number of bits used for bucket addresses?

Write pseudocode for the insertion algorithms for linear hashing and for extendible hashing.

Discuss the process of disk initialization.

Consider a disk with the following characteristics (these are not parameters of any particular disk unit): block size \(B=512\) bytes; interblock gap size \(G=128\) bytes; number of blocks per track \(=20 ;\) number of tracks per surface \(=400 .\) A disk pack consists of 15 double-sided disks. a. What is the total capacity of a track, and what is its useful capacity (excluding interblock gaps)? b. How many cylinders are there? c. What are the total capacity and the useful capacity of a cylinder? d. What are the total capacity and the useful capacity of a disk pack? e. Suppose that the disk drive rotates the disk pack at a speed of 2400 rpm (revolutions per minute \() ;\) what are the transfer rate \((t r)\) in bytes/msec and the block transfer time \((b t t)\) in msec? What is the average rotational delay \((r d)\) in msec? What is the bulk transfer rate? (See Appendix B.) f. Suppose that the average seek time is 30 msec. How much time does it take (on the average) in msec to locate and transfer a single block, given its block address? g. Calculate the average time it would take to transfer 20 random blocks, and compare this with the time it would take to transfer 20 consecutive blocks using double buffering to save seek time and rotational delay.

What are the reasons for having variable-length records? What types of separator characters are needed for each?
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Computer Science Textbooks

Game Design in Computer Science

Read Explanation

Data Structures

Read Explanation

Computer Programming

Read Explanation

Issues in Computer Science

Read Explanation

Theory of Computation

Read Explanation

Data Representation in Computer Science

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free