Network database model is a hierarchical structure created to represent complex relation-ships more effectively than the hierarchical model, to improve database performance standard. Network database generally implement the set relationships by means of pointers that directly address the location of a record on the disk. This gives excellent retrieval performance
Advantages of the network database model * Capability to handle more relationship types: The network model basically places no restriction on the number of relationships to sets in which a field can be involved; that can be a one-to-many (1:N) and many-to-many (N:N) relationship. The model then is more consistent with the real-world business relationships where, for examples vendors have many customers and customers have many vendors. * b. Ease of data access: The data access in a network model is easier and flexible than that in the hierarchical model. An application can access an owner record and all the member record within the set and if one member in ht set has two owners such as the employee working for two departments, then on can move from one owner to another. * c. Data integrity: The network model does not allow a member record to exist without an owner record. Thus a user must first define the owner record and then the member record. This ensures data integrity. * d. Data independence: The network model is better than the hierarchical model in the isolating the programs from the complex physical details. This ensures that the changes in the data characteristics do not require changes storage in the application programs.
* Four Disadvantages of the network database model\ * a. Complexity of database: Network database are very complex. For every set a pair of pointers must be maintained. As the number of sets or relationships increases the overhead be-comes sustainable. So they are difficult to design and