The development and the exploitation of data models are at the baseline of the database engineeering domain. They allow database structures to be described at the appropriate level of abstraction, so that one can rigourously evaluate and transform schemas and reason about them. They are at the core of design methodologies and CASE tools. The conceptual models, such as the Entity-relationship model and some interpretation of UML class diagrams are aimed at describing data/information structures at the conceptual, technology-independent level, while the many logical models currently available are intended to represent data structures as they are implemented by data managers (or by families thereof).
The SPHYNX data models.
The Individual model. Reference [P74-04] reports on the first version on the Individual model (a variant of the ER model), which was the main component of the MERISE methodology. Hubert Tardieu, the architect of the Merise methodology was a member of the team.
The GAM.
The GER model. The Generic Entity-relationship model (GER) is a wide-spectrum information/data structure specification model. Encompassing the main concepts and constructs of most popular modeling formalisms, be they value-based or object-based, it has been given a precise semantics via an extended version of the NF2 (non-first normal form, or nested) relational model [6]. Through a specialization mechanism, such usual models as ERA, UML class diagram and ORM can be rigourously specified and compared [7]. Similarly, the GER can be used to define standard data models such as the relational, object-relational, CODASYL, IMS, XML or plain file structure models.
The DB-MAIN model. This model is a partial implementation of the GER. It has been developed for the DB-MAIN CASE environment. A precise definition can be found in the DB-MAIN manuals [***] and in DB design tutorials [***].
Temporal data models. [P01-02]
Keywords
ER model, Invidual model, wide-spectrum model, GER model, logical data model, temporal model, network model, hierarchical model, OO model, large schema layout, semantic and statistical aspects of models, IS-A relations
Resources
[P09-03] Jean-Luc Hainaut. Network Data Model, in Encyclopedia of Database Systems, Liu, L. and Özsu, T. (Eds), Springer-Verlag, 2009. [ [description]] [full text]
[P09-02] Jean-Luc Hainaut. Hierarchical Data Model, in Encyclopedia of Database Systems, Liu, L. and Özsu, T. (Eds), Springer-Verlag, 2009. [ [description]] [full text]
[P08-05] Anthony Cleve, Jean Henrard, Didier Roland and Jean-Luc Hainaut. Wrapper-based System Evolution - Application to CODASYL to Relational Migration, in Proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Software Maintenance and Reengineering (CSMR’08), pages 13-22, IEEE Computer Society, 2008. [description]
[P05-06] Yannis Tzitzikas and Jean-Luc Hainaut. How to Tame a Very Large ER Diagram (Using Link Analysis and Force-Directed Drawing Algorithms), in Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Conceptual Modeling, (ER’05), Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 3716, pages 144-159, Springer-Verlag, 2005. [description] [full text]
[P01-02] Virginie Detienne and Jean-Luc Hainaut. CASE Tool Support for Temporal Database Design, in Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Conceptual modeling, (ER’01), Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 2224, pages 208-224, Springer-Verlag, 2001. [description] [full text]
[P97-03] Jean-Luc Hainaut, Jean Henrard, Jean-Marc Hick, Didier Roland and Vincent Englebert. Contribution to the Reverse Engineering of OO Applications - Methodology and Case Study, in Proceedings of the IFIP TC2/WG2.6 Seventh Conference on Database Semantics, (DS-7), IFIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 124, pages 131-161, Chapman and Hall, 1997. [description] [full text]
[P96-08] Jean-Luc Hainaut. Specification preservation in schema transformations - Application to semantics and statistics, Data and Knowledge Engineering, 16(1): Elsevier Science Publish., 1996. [description] [full text]
[P96-05] Jean-Luc Hainaut, Jean-Marc Hick, Vincent Englebert, Jean Henrard and Didier Roland. Understanding implementations of IS-A Relations, in Proceedings of 15th International Conference on Conceptual Modeling, (ER’96), Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 1157, pages 42-57, Springer-Verlag, 1996. [description] [full text]
[P96-03] Jean-Luc Hainaut, Didier Roland, Vincent Englebert, Jean-Marc Hick and Jean Henrard. Database Reverse Engineering - A Case Study, in Actes du 2ème Forum International d’Informatique Appliquée, ESIG, 1996. [description] [full text]
[P90-01] Jean-Luc Hainaut. Entity-Relationship models : formal specification and comparison, in Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on the Entity-Relationship Approach (ER’90), pages 53-64, ER Institute, 1990. [description] [full text]
[P89-01] Jean-Luc Hainaut. A Generic Entity-Relationship Model, in Proceedings of the IFIP WG 8.1 Conference on Information System Concepts: an in-depth analysis, pages 109-138, North-Holland, 1989. [description] [full text]
[P78-01] Baudouin Charlier. Quelques réflexions concernant les modèles et langages de bases de données, in Actes des communications de l'Ecole d'été 1978 de l'AFCET, pages 176-185, Publication FUNDP, 1978. [full text]
[P74-04] Claude Deheneffe, Jean-Luc Hainaut and Hubert Tardieu. The Individual Model, in Proceedings of the International Workshop on Data Structure Models for Information Systems, pages 89-118, Presses Universitaires de Namur, 1974. [description] [full text]
[P74-02] Claude Deheneffe, Henri Hennebert and Walter Paulus. A Relational Model for a Data Base, in Proceedings of the IFIP congress 74, pages 1022-1025, North-Holland, 1974. [description] [full text]
[P74-01] Jean-Luc Hainaut and Baudouin Charlier. An Extensible Semantic Model of Data Base and Its Data language, in Proceedings of the IFIP Congress 74, pages 1026-1030, North-Holland, 1974. [description] [full text]