Network Model

Network Model


Some data were more naturally modeled with more than one parent per child.

Permitted the modeling of many-to-many relationships in data.

Consists of an owner record type, a set name, and a member record type.

A member record type can have that role in more than one set

 An owner record type can also be a member or owner in another set.



Network Model

ADVANTAGES:

Network Model is able to model complex relationships and represents semantics of add/delete on the relationships.

Can handle most situations for modeling using record types and relationship types.

Language is navigational; uses constructs like FIND, FIND member, FIND owner, FIND NEXT within set, GET etc. Programmers can do optimal navigation through the database

DISADVANTAGES:

Navigational and procedural nature of processing

Database contains a complex array of pointers that thread through a set of records.

Little scope for automated "query optimization”