Answer 5_4_2

Question 2 

What advantages and disadvantages are there in having a distributed database?

Advantages include:

• Less expensive to access regional database than a central database in another country;
• Local database can be set up to address local needs.
• The ventral database can be partitioned to reflect the local needs, like customers, stock, etc.
• Several databases are less vulnerable to disasters;
• Each site can provide back-up facilities to the other sites.

Disadvantages include:

• Data integrity and consistency becomes harder to maintain;
• It is difficult to correct mistakes made on the data since there may be several copies.
• Mechanisms needed to ensure that the data are maintained correctly;
• Powerful and reliable communications systems are needed;
• There can be questions of security of sensitive data.

BACK