Concurrent User Access and Secure Storage

C.

The BEST option for storing company information securely and allowing concurrent user access is a database (option C).

A database is a structured collection of data that allows multiple users to access, modify and retrieve data concurrently. It provides features such as data consistency, data integrity, security, and scalability.

Word processing documents (option A), spreadsheets (option D), and flat files (option B) are not suitable for storing company information securely and allowing concurrent user access because:

• Word processing documents: They are designed for creating and editing text documents, not for storing structured data. They lack the ability to enforce data integrity and security. Multiple users cannot edit the same document at the same time, which can cause data inconsistency and version control issues.

• Spreadsheets: They are designed for organizing and manipulating numerical data, not for storing structured data. Like word processing documents, spreadsheets lack the ability to enforce data integrity and security. Multiple users can access the same spreadsheet, but only one user can edit it at a time, which can cause data inconsistency and version control issues.

• Flat files: They are text files that contain data in a specific format, such as CSV or XML. They lack the ability to enforce data consistency, data integrity, and security. Multiple users can access the same file, but there is no mechanism to prevent conflicting updates or ensure that data is updated correctly.

In conclusion, a database is the BEST option for storing company information securely and allowing concurrent user access because it provides a structured way to store data, enforce data integrity and security, and allow multiple users to access and modify data concurrently.