In the context of databases, what is the main objective of normalization?

The primary objective of normalization in database design is to optimize storage and maintain data integrity. Normalization involves organizing the data within a database to eliminate redundancy and improve data integrity by ensuring that data dependencies are properly enforced. This process typically involves dividing a database into smaller, related tables and defining relationships between them, which helps to ensure that the data remains accurate and consistent.

By normalizing a database, it minimizes the chances of data anomalies, such as insertion, update, and deletion anomalies, which can compromise data integrity. Proper normalization allows for efficient data management, as it categorizes data logically, making it easier to maintain.

In contrast, enhancing user interface pertains to how users interact with the database, which is not directly related to normalization. Reducing data access time relates to query optimization and indexing rather than the structural organization achieved through normalization. Facilitating better encryption methods is focused on security aspects, which normalization does not address. Hence, optimization of storage and maintaining data integrity stands as a clear and fundamental goal of normalization in database design.