5.2 Data Models - Relational Model
5.2 Data Models - Relational Model
In relational model, the data and relationships are represented by collection of inter-
related tables.
Each table is a group of column and rows, where column represents attribute of an entity
and rows represents records.
Some popular Relational Database management systems are:
DB2 and Informix Dynamic Server - IBM
Oracle and RDB – Oracle
SQL Server and Access - Microsoft
Sample relationship Model: Student table with 3 columns and four records.
Table: Student
Table: Course
Here Stu_Id, Stu_Name & Stu_Age are attributes of table Student and Stu_Id, Course_Id
& Course_Name are attributes of table Course. The rows with values are the records
(commonly known as tuples).
Relational Model Concepts
1. Attribute: Each column in a Table. Attributes are the properties which define a
relation. e.g., Student_Rollno, NAME, etc.
2. Tables – In the Relational model, the relations are saved in the table format. It is
stored along with its entities. A table has two properties rows and columns. Rows
represent records and columns represent attributes.
3. Tuple – It is nothing but a single row of a table, which contains a single record.
4. Relation Schema: A relation schema represents the name of the relation with its
attributes.
5. Degree: The total number of attributes which in the relation is called the degree of
the relation.
6. Cardinality: Total number of rows present in the Table.
7. Column: The column represents the set of values for a specific attribute.
8. Relation instance – Relation instance is a finite set of tuples in the RDBMS
system. Relation instances never have duplicate tuples.
9. Attribute domain – Every attribute has some pre-defined value and scope which
is known as attribute domain
Whenever one of these operations are applied, integrity constraints specified on the
relational database schema must never be violated.
Insert Operation
The insert operation gives values of the attribute for a new tuple which should be inserted
into a relation.
Update Operation
You can see that in the below-given relation table CustomerName= 'Apple' is updated
from Inactive to Active.
Delete Operation
To specify deletion, a condition on the attributes of the relation selects the tuple to be
deleted.
The Delete operation could violate referential integrity if the tuple which is deleted is
referenced by foreign keys from other tuples in the same database.
Select Operation
Simplicity: A relational data model is simpler than the hierarchical and network
model.
Structural Independence: The relational database is only concerned with data
and not with a structure. This can improve the performance of the model.
Easy to use: The relational model is easy as tables consisting of rows and columns
is quite natural and simple to understand
Query capability: It makes possible for a high-level query language like SQL to
avoid complex database navigation.
Data independence: The structure of a database can be changed without having to
change any application.
Scalable: Regarding a number of records, or rows, and the number of fields, a
database should be enlarged to enhance its usability.
Few relational databases have limits on field lengths which can't be exceeded.
Relational databases can sometimes become complex as the amount of data grows,
and the relations between pieces of data become more complicated.
Complex relational database systems may lead to isolated databases where the
information cannot be shared from one system to another.