Network Data Model

The network database model was created to solve the shortcomings of the hierarchical database model. In this type of model, a child can be linked to multiple parents, a feature that was not supported by the hierarchical data model. The parent nodes are known as owners and the child nodes are called members.

The network data model can be represented as −

Advantages of Network Model

The network model can support many to many relationships as seen in the diagram.  D2 and C3 each have multiple masters. The masters for D2 are C1 and C2 while for C3 are B1 and B2. In this way, the network data model can handle many to many relationships where the hierarchical data model didn’t.

Disadvantages of Network Model

There are some disadvantages in the network model even though it is an improvement over the hierarchical model. These are −

• The network model is much more complicated than the Hierarchical model. As such, it is difficult to to handle and maintain.

• Although the Network model is more flexible than the Hierarchical model, it still has flexibility problems. Not all relations can handled by assigning them in the form of owners and members.

• The structure of the Network Model is quite complicated and so the programmer has to understand it well in order to implement or modify it.