What is the purpose of normalization in a database?

The purpose of normalization in a database is to refine a data model to reduce redundant storage. Normalization is a systematic way of organizing data in a database to minimize duplication and ensure data integrity. It involves organizing fields and tables of a database to ensure that only related data is stored in a table and that each piece of information is stored only once.

Reducing redundancy is crucial because it helps to save storage space and improve data consistency. When similar data is stored in multiple places, it can lead to inconsistencies during data updates, insertions, or deletions. By implementing normalization techniques, a database is structured to eliminate unnecessary duplication, which ensures that updates propagate correctly throughout the system without issues.

The other options focus on aspects that do not align with the primary role of normalization. Increasing the size of data storage does not relate to the principles of normalization; instead, normalization tends to decrease unnecessary storage usage. While security measures and disaster recovery are essential components of database management, they do not pertain to normalization's core objective of organizing data effectively to improve efficiency and integrity.