Question

Data Modeling and Database Design (Database Concepts, Eighth Edition)

The relational model is the most important standard in database processing today. Why do you feel that this model has continued to be successful in the world of IT? What would happen if large corporations decided to reject this theory, and store their data using a non-relational model? Are there any success stories where this has happened?

Answer 1

Importance of relational Model in Database Management.

The model is invented by E.F Codd and follows codd’s 11 rules. More or less all the important database management system makes use of this relational model because of the following factors:

• Simplicity:
  • This model is used in order to avoid complexity.
  • Data are stored in an organized manner within the model, making the database easy to use.
• Ease of data retrieval:
  • Under the model, accessing data from the database does not require navigating the path through the total hierarchy tree.
  • Users can retrieve the data easily by writing a simple query.
• Normalization:
  • This methodology is being used in order to eliminate anomalies within the database and checks any data is being repeated or not.
  • Normalization makes the database more robust and dependent.

If companies started to reject this theory and store their data in normal non-relational model:

• No Joins operation:
  • In a non-relational databases, there is no option of joining two databases.
  • Join query is not there, so a SQL developer has to write down the code manually to join the data and there will be a chance of big mistake.
• In non-relational model, operations are not treated as a transaction like relational model, hence when you try to commit any transaction; few will succeed and may be few will fail.
• The whole company’s database will come down.

These above issues a company may face if they are not using relational model.

Success story of companies who switched to relational model:

• More or less every company is using relational model because of all the features a relational model provides over non-relational model.
• Company can’t compromise losing their sensitive user’s data as in non-relational model, the chances of losing data is more.
• Companies like Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, Google all uses relational model in their database processing

Thank you.