Select a data model for your database

Before you create a database with the Informix® product, you must decide what type of data model you want to use to design your database. This manual describes the following database models:

Relational data model

This data model typifies database design for online transaction processing (OLTP). The purpose of OLTP is to process a large number of small transactions without losing any of them. An OLTP database is designed to handle the day-to-day requirements of a business, and database performance is tuned for those requirements. Basics of database design and implementation of this manual, describes how to build and implement a relational data model for OLTP. Managing databases, contains information about how to manage your databases.

Object-relational data model

supports object-relational databases that employ basic relational design principles, but include features such as extended data types, user-defined routines, user-defined casts, and user-defined aggregates to extend the functionality of relational databases. Object-relational databases of this manual, contains information about how to use the extensible features of Informix® to extend the kinds of data you can store in your database and to provide greater flexibility in how you organize and access your data.

Dimensional data model

This data model is typically used to build data marts, which are a type of data warehouse. In a data-warehousing environment, databases are optimized for data retrieval and analysis. This type of informational processing is known as online analytical processing (OLAP) or decision-support processing.