ABSTRACT
This chapter offers suggestions for maintaining and controlling data in distributed and mainframe environments. It compares the database environments — from single mainframe computers to multiple minicomputers, micro-computers, and networked personal computers (PCs) — to identify the lessons learned, and look to the future for improved database handling. The mainframe provided a vast amount of storage capacity compared with that of PCs as first introduced. Managing storage across a decentralized, distributed computing system involves several major challenges, including optimizing data accessibility and system performance, while keeping costs down. In the mainframe environment, end-user data access was established on a need-to-know basis. End users had a tendency to make notes, photocopies, and supplemental cheat sheets to help ensure their accuracy in database handling. Establishing users on PCs required a very low initial cost. The newest factor to affect the database environment is the Internet, a means of access to even more information.
