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A 'data model' is an abstract model that describes how data is represented and used.
The term 'data model' has two generally accepted meanings:
# A data model ''theory'' i.e. a formal description of how data may be structured and used. See also database model
# A data model ''instance'' i.e. applying a data model ''theory'' to create a practical data model ''instance'' for some particular application. See data modeling.

Contents

Data Model Theory

Data Model Instance

External links

See also

Data Model Theory

A ''data model theory'' has three main components:

★ The ''structural'' part: a collection of data structures which are used to create databases representing the entities or objects modeled by the database.

★ The ''integrity'' part: a collection of rules governing the constraints placed on these data structures to ensure structural integrity.

★ The ''manipulation'' part: a collection of operators which can be applied to the data structures, to update and query the data contained in the database.
For example, in the relational model, the structural part is based on a modified concept of the mathematical relation; the integrity part is expressed in first-order logic and the manipulation part is expressed using the relational algebra, tuple calculus and domain calculus.

Data Model Instance

Data modeling is the process of creating a ''data model instance'' by applying a ''data model theory''. This is typically done to solve some business enterprise requirement.
Business requirements are normally captured by a semantic logical data model. This is transformed into a physical ''data model instance'' from which is generated a physical database. For more information on the tools and techniques of data modelling, see data modelling.
For example, a data modeler may use a data modeling tool to create an ERD of the Corporate data repository of some business enterprise. This model is transformed into a relational model, which in turn generates a relational database.

External links

★ RFC 3444 - On the Difference between Information Models and Data Models

See also

★ Data modeling

★ Data dictionary

★ Diagram

★ information system

★ database management system

★ Information model

★ Ontology

★ XML schema