A Comparison of the Hierarchical, Network, and Relational, Database Models

A Comparison of the Hierarchical, Network and Relational, Database Models
Database models continue to evolve as the information management needs of organizations become more complex. From flat files to relational databases, the growing demands on data integrity, reliability and performance of database management systems (DBMS), has shaped the design of databases and their underlying models. In this document, three database models are discussed comparing and contrasting their major features. The three models in order of discussion are Hierarchical, Network and Relational database models.
Hierarchical Database Model
The hierarchical model is the oldest of the three models discussed here. This model is an improvement of the flat-file database system since it employs a simple data relationship scheme. The relationships in the hierarchical model are child/parent relationships. The name “hierarchical” is derived from one major restriction on the child/parent relationships, ...