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Overview

While the hierarchical database model structures data as a tree of records, with each record having one parent record and many children, the network model allows each record to have multiple parent and child records, forming a generalized graph structure. This property applies at two levels: the schema is a generalized graph of record types connected by relationship types (called "set types" in CODASYL), and the database itself is a generalized graph of record occurrences connected by relationships (CODASYL "sets"). Cycles are permitted at both levels. Peer-to-Peer and Client Server are examples of Network Models.

The chief argument in favour of the network model, in comparison to the hierarchical model, was that it allowed a more natural modeling of relationships between entities. Although the model was widely implemented and used, it failed to become dominant for two main reasons. Firstly, IBM chose to stick to the hierarchical model with semi-network extensions in their established products such as IMS and DL/I. Secondly, it was eventually displaced by the relational model, which offered a higher-level, more declarative interface. Until the early 1980s the performance benefits of the low-level navigational interfaces offered by hierarchical and network databases were persuasive for many large-scale applications, but as hardware became faster, the extra productivity and flexibility of the relational model led to the gradual obsolescence of the network model in corporate enterprise usage.

History

The network model's original inventor was Charles Bachman, and it was developed into a standard specification published in 1969 by the Conference on Data Systems Languages (CODASYL) Consortium. This was followed by a second publication in 1971, which became the basis for most implementations. Subsequent work continued into the early 1980s, culminating in an ISO specification, but this had little influence on products.

Bachman's influence is recognized in the term Bachman diagram, a diagrammatic notation that represents a database schema expressed using the network model. In a Bachman diagram, named rectangles represent record types, and arrows represent one-to-many relationship types between records (CODASYL set types).

Database systems

Some well-known database systems that use the network model include:

• IMAGE for HP 3000
• Integrated Data Store¹ (IDS)
• IDMS² (Integrated Database Management System)
• Univac DMS-1100
• Norsk Data SIBAS
• Oracle CODASYL DBMS for OpenVMS (originally known as DEC VAX DBMS)

See also

• Navigational database
• Graph database

David M, k., 1997. Fundamentals, Design, and Implementation. database processing ed. s.l.:Prentice-Hall.

Further reading

• Charles W. Bachman, The Programmer as Navigator. Turing Award lecture, Communications of the ACM, Volume 16, Issue 11, 1973, pp. 653–658, ISSN 0001-0782, doi:10.1145/355611.362534

External links

• "CODASYL Systems Committee "Survey of Data Base Systems"" (PDF). 1968-09-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-10-12.
• Network (CODASYL) Data Model
• SIBAS Database running on Norsk Data Servers

References

1. "RDBMS Plenary 1: Early Years" (PDF) (PDF). Interviewed by Burton Grad. Computer History Museum. 2007-06-12. Retrieved 2025-05-30. https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2013/05/102702562-05-01-acc.pdf ↩

2. "RDBMS Plenary 1: Early Years" (PDF) (PDF). Interviewed by Burton Grad. Computer History Museum. 2007-06-12. Retrieved 2025-05-30. https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2013/05/102702562-05-01-acc.pdf ↩