Data Models
Data Model is the modeling of the data description, data semantics, and consistency
constraints of the data. It provides the conceptual tools for describing the design of a
database at each level of data abstraction. Therefore, there are following four data
models u sed for understanding the structure of the database:
1) Relational Data Model: This type of model designs the data in the form of rows and
columns within a table. Thus, a relational model uses tables for representing data and in-
between relationships. Tables are also called relations. This model was initially described
by Edgar F. Codd, in 1969. The relational data model is the widely used model which is
primarily used by commercial data processing applications.
2) Entity-Relationship Data Model: An ER model is the logical representation of data
as objects and relationships among them. These objects are known as entities, and
relationship is an association among these entities. This model was designed by Peter
Chen and published in 1976 papers. It was widely used in database designing. A set of
attributes describe the entities. For example, student_name, student_id describes the
'student' entity. A set of the same type of entities is known as an 'Entity set', and the set
of the same type of relationships is known as 'relationship set'.
3) Object-based Data Model: An extension of the ER model with notions of functions,
encapsulation, and object identity, as well. This model supports a rich type system that
includes structured and collection types. Thus, in 1980s, various database systems
following the object-oriented approach were developed. Here, the objects are nothing but
the data carrying its properties.
4) Semistructured Data Model: This type of data model is different from the other
three data models (explained above). The semistructured data model allows the data
specifications at places where the individual data items of the same type may have
different attributes sets. The Extensible Markup Language, also known as XML, is widely
used for representing the semistructured data. Although XML was initially designed for
including the markup information to the text document, it gains importance because of
its application in the exchange of data.
Data model Schema and Instance
o The data which is stored in the database at a particular moment of time is called
an instance of the database.
o The overall design of a database is called schema.
o A database schema is the skeleton structure of the database. It represents the
logical view of the entire database.
o A schema contains schema objects like table, foreign key, primary key, views,
columns, data types, stored procedure, etc.
o A database schema can be represented by using the visual diagram. That
diagram shows the database objects and relationship with each other.
o A database schema is designed by the database designers to help programmers
whose software will interact with the database. The process of database creation
is called data modeling.
A schema diagram can display only some aspects of a schema like the name of record
type, data type, and constraints. Other aspects can't be specified through the schema
diagram. For example, the given figure neither show the data type of each data item nor
the relationship among various files.
In the database, actual data changes quite frequently. For example, in the given figure,
the database changes whenever we add a new grade or add a student. The data at a
particular moment of time is called the instance of the database.
Data Independence
o Data independence can be explained using the three-schema architecture.
o Data independence refers characteristic of being able to modify the schema at
one level of the database system without altering the schema at the next higher
level.
There are two types of data independence:
1. Logical Data Independence
o Logical data independence refers characteristic of being able to change the
conceptual schema without having to change the external schema.
o Logical data independence is used to separate the external level from the
conceptual view.
o If we do any changes in the conceptual view of the data, then the user view of the
data would not be affected.
o Logical data independence occurs at the user interface level.
2. Physical Data Independence
o Physical data independence can be defined as the capacity to change the internal
schema without having to change the conceptual schema.
o If we do any changes in the storage size of the database system server, then the
Conceptual structure of the database will not be affected.
o Physical data independence is used to separate conceptual levels from the
internal levels.
o Physical data independence occurs at the logical interface level.