Introduction

This assignment is going to give out brief explanation on the types of database models. To start
with, database model refers to the logical structure, representation or layout of a database and
how the data will be stored, managed and processed within it. It helps in designing a database
and serves as blueprint for application developers and database administrators in creating a
database. The term data model is used in two distinct but closely related senses. Sometimes it
refers to an abstract formalization of the objects and relationships found in a particular
application domain, for example the customers, products, and orders found in a manufacturing
organization. At other times it refers to a set of concepts used in defining such formalizations: for
example concepts such as entities, attributes, relations, or tables. So the "data model" of a
banking application may be defined using the entity-relationship "data model". This article uses
the term in both senses. Overview of data modeling context: data model is based on data, data
relationship, data semantic and data constraint. A data model provides the details
of information to be stored, and is of primary use when the final product is the generation of
computer software code for an application or the preparation of a functional specification to aid
a computer software make-or-buy decision. The figure is an example of the interaction
between process and data models. A data model explicitly determines the structure of data. Data
models are specified in a data modeling notation, which is often graphical in form. A data model
can sometimes be referred to as a data structure, especially in the context of programming
languages. Data models are often complemented by function models, especially in the context
of enterprise models.

There is a number of database models this assignment has briefly discussed on two which are as
follows: network model, relational model including hierarchical model.

A relational model according to (e.f. codd in 1970) the relational model (rm)
for database management is an approach to managing data using a structure and language
consistent with first-order predicate logic, first described in 1969 by English computer
scientist Edgar f. Codd, where all data is represented in terms of tuples, grouped into relations. A
database organized in terms of the relational model is a relational database. A relation is a table
with columns and rows. The named columns of the relation are called attributes, and the domain
is the set of values the attributes are allowed to take. The basic data structure of the relational
model is the table, where information about a particular entity (say, an employee) is represented
in rows (also called tuples) and columns. Thus, the "relation" in "relational database" refers to
the various tables in the database; a relation is a set of tuples. The columns enumerate the various
attributes of the entity (the employee's name, address or phone number, for example), and a row
is an actual instance of the entity (a specific employee) that is represented by the relation. As a
result, each tuple of the employee table represents various attributes of a single employee.

All relations (and, thus, tables) in a relational database have to adhere to some basic rules to
qualify as relations. First, the ordering of columns is immaterial in a table. Second, there can't be
identical tuples or rows in a table. And third, each tuple will contain a single value for each of its
attributes.

A relational database contains multiple tables, each similar to the one in the "flat" database
model. One of the strengths of the relational model is that, in principle, any value occurring in
two different records (belonging to the same table or to different tables), implies a relationship
among those two records. A key that can be used to uniquely identify a row in a table is called a
primary key. Keys are commonly used to join or combine data from two or more tables. For
example, an employee table may contain a column named location which contains a value that
matches the key of a location table. Keys are also critical in the creation of indexes, which
facilitate fast retrieval of data from large tables. Any column can be a key, or multiple columns
can be grouped together into a compound key. It is not necessary to define all the keys in
advance; a column can be used as a key even if it was not originally intended to be one.

Network model: the network model expands upon the hierarchical structure, allowing many-to-
many relationships in a tree-like structure that allows multiple parents. It was most popular
before being replaced by the relational model, and is defined by the codasyl specification. The
network model organizes data using two fundamental concepts, called records and sets. Records
contain fields (which may be organized hierarchically, as in the programming
language COBOL). Sets (not to be confused with mathematical sets) define one-to-
many relationships between records: one owner, many members. A record may be an owner in
any number of sets, and a member in any number of sets. The network model is a database
model conceived as a flexible way of representing objects and their relationships. Its distinguishing feature is
that the schema, viewed as a graph in which object types are nodes and relationship types are arcs, is not
restricted to being a hierarchy or lattice. This is according to charles w. Bachman, the programmer as
navigator. Acm turing award lecture, communications of the acm, (1973).

According to Michael j. (2008) a hierarchical database model is a data model in which the data are
organized into a tree-like structure. The data are stored as records which are connected to one another
through links. A record is a collection of fields, with each field containing only one value. The type of a record
defines which fields the record contains. In a hierarchical model, data is organized into a tree-like
structure, implying a single parent for each record. A sort field keeps sibling records in a
particular order. Hierarchical structures were widely used in the early mainframe database
management systems, such as the information management system (ims) by IBM, and now
describe the structure of xml documents. This structure allows one one-to-many relationship
between two types of data. This structure is very efficient to describe many relationships in the
real world; recipes, table of contents, ordering of paragraphs/verses, any nested and sorted
information.

This hierarchy is used as the physical order of records in storage. Record access is done by
navigating downward through the data structure using pointers combined with sequential
accessing. Because of this, the hierarchical structure is inefficient for certain database operations
when a full path (as opposed to upward link and sort field) is not also included for each record.
Such limitations have been compensated for in later ims versions by additional logical
hierarchies imposed on the base physical hierarchy.

The hierarchical data model organizes data in a tree structure. There is a hierarchy of parent
and child data segments. This structure implies that a record can have repeating information,
generally in the child data segments. Data in a series of records, which have a set of field values
attached to it. It collects all the instances of a specific record together as a record type. These
record types are the equivalent of tables in the relational model, and with the individual records
being the equivalent of rows. To create links between these record types, the hierarchical model
uses parent child relationships.
Conclusion

In conclusion this assignment has briefly explained on the three types of database models and
these were relational, network, and hierarchical model. And also have defined data model as
database model refers to the logical structure, representation or layout of a database and how the
data will be stored, managed and processed within it. It helps in designing a database and serves
as blueprint for application developers and database administrators in creating a database.
Reference

Elmasri, ramez; navathe, shamkant. Fundamentals of database systems (seventh ed.)

e.f. codd (1970). "a relational model of data for large shared data banks". In: communications of
the acm archive. (june 1970).

Introducing databases by Stephen Chu, in conrick, m. (2006) health informatics: transforming

healthcare with technology, Thomson,

Date, c. J. (June 1, 1999). "When’s an extension not an extension?". Intelligent enterprise.

Zhuge, h. (2008). The web resource space model. Web information systems engineering and
internet technologies book series.

Charles w. Bachman, the programmer as navigator. Acm turing award lecture, communications of the acm,
(1973).