diff --git a/lib/utils/CSVDatabase.cpp b/lib/utils/CSVDatabase.cpp
index 263447594..a5c7063c7 100644
--- a/lib/utils/CSVDatabase.cpp
+++ b/lib/utils/CSVDatabase.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ CSVDatabase::create(
     const std::string& file_name,
     const MPI_Comm comm)
 {
-    Database::create(file_name, comm);
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -41,7 +40,6 @@ CSVDatabase::open(
     const std::string& type,
     const MPI_Comm comm)
 {
-    Database::open(file_name, type, comm);
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/utils/Database.cpp b/lib/utils/Database.cpp
index df2cb01b6..76148ec0d 100644
--- a/lib/utils/Database.cpp
+++ b/lib/utils/Database.cpp
@@ -16,13 +16,6 @@
 
 namespace CAROM {
 
-bool fileExists(const std::string& name)
-{
-    std::ifstream f(name.c_str());
-    return f.good();
-    // ifstream f will be closed upon the end of the function.
-}
-
 Database::Database()
 {
 }
@@ -31,23 +24,4 @@ Database::~Database()
 {
 }
 
-bool
-Database::create(
-    const std::string& file_name,
-    const MPI_Comm comm)
-{
-    std::cout << "Creating file: " << file_name << std::endl;
-    return true;
-}
-
-bool
-Database::open(
-    const std::string& file_name,
-    const std::string& type,
-    const MPI_Comm comm)
-{
-    std::cout << "Opening file: " << file_name << std::endl;
-    return true;
-}
-
 }
diff --git a/lib/utils/Database.h b/lib/utils/Database.h
index 1008f391d..0a05068a2 100644
--- a/lib/utils/Database.h
+++ b/lib/utils/Database.h
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@
 
 namespace CAROM {
 
-bool fileExists(const std::string& name);
-
 /**
  * Class Database is an abstract base class that provides basic ability to
  * write to and read from a file.  It's capabilities are limited to what the
@@ -55,7 +53,7 @@ class Database
     bool
     create(
         const std::string& file_name,
-        const MPI_Comm comm=MPI_COMM_NULL);
+        const MPI_Comm comm=MPI_COMM_NULL) = 0;
 
     /**
      * @brief Opens an existing database file with the supplied name.
@@ -73,7 +71,7 @@ class Database
     open(
         const std::string& file_name,
         const std::string& type,
-        const MPI_Comm comm=MPI_COMM_NULL);
+        const MPI_Comm comm=MPI_COMM_NULL) = 0;
 
     /**
      * @brief Closes the currently open database file.
diff --git a/lib/utils/HDFDatabase.cpp b/lib/utils/HDFDatabase.cpp
index 49e9136a8..bd11fdaff 100644
--- a/lib/utils/HDFDatabase.cpp
+++ b/lib/utils/HDFDatabase.cpp
@@ -57,8 +57,6 @@ HDFDatabase::create(
         ext_filename += tmp;
     }
 
-    Database::create(ext_filename, comm);
-
     hid_t file_id = H5Fcreate(ext_filename.c_str(),
                               H5F_ACC_TRUNC,
                               H5P_DEFAULT,
@@ -89,8 +87,6 @@ HDFDatabase::open(
         ext_filename += tmp;
     }
 
-    Database::open(ext_filename, type, comm);
-
     CAROM_VERIFY(type == "r" || type == "wr");
     hid_t file_id;
     if (type == "r")
diff --git a/lib/utils/HDFDatabaseMPIO.cpp b/lib/utils/HDFDatabaseMPIO.cpp
index 5e2d9bc40..a93e37f47 100644
--- a/lib/utils/HDFDatabaseMPIO.cpp
+++ b/lib/utils/HDFDatabaseMPIO.cpp
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@ HDFDatabaseMPIO::create(
 
     /* Create a single file with a name compatible to HDFDatabase. */
     std::string file_name_ext(file_name + ".000000");
-    if (d_rank == 0)
-        Database::create(file_name_ext);
     CAROM_VERIFY(!file_name.empty());
 
     hid_t plist_id;
@@ -97,8 +95,6 @@ HDFDatabaseMPIO::open(
         d_rank = 0;
 
     std::string file_name_ext(file_name + ".000000");
-    if (d_rank == 0)
-        Database::open(file_name_ext, type);
     CAROM_VERIFY(!file_name.empty());
     CAROM_VERIFY(type == "r" || type == "wr");