A data model is an abstract model that organizes elements of data, and standardizes how they relate to one another as well as to properties of the real world entities. In a hierarchical model, data is organized into a tree-like structure, implying a single parent for each record. Record access is done by navigating downward through the data structure using pointers combined with sequential accessing. DATAVERSITY brought this interesting information to our attention in their article, “Next and Prior: Pointing in Data Models.”
Pointers have been in and out of data models. The concept of database pointers is an extension to the widely used tuple identifers. Database pointers have the efficiency of a shared variable combined with the advantages of using a real-time database system.
Database pointers allow fast and predictable accesses of data without violating either temporal and logical consistency or transaction serialization. It can be used together with the relational data model without risking a violation of the integrity of the database.
Melody K. Smith
Sponsored by Access Innovations, the world leader in thesaurus, ontology, and taxonomy creation and metadata application.
