One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that transparently maps a request to open a data file. First, the system receives a request from a user or client application to open the data file. Next, the system determines from file meta information that the file is a relational data file, and proceeds to transparently map the file open operation to a corresponding relational database operation by discovering a database service configured to manage the relational data file and then sending a request to open the relational data file to this database service. By transparently mapping the file open operation to the corresponding relational database operation, the system allows an underlying data file to be changed to a relational data file without changing the way the user interacts with the client application and/or data file.