A network databse consists of two data sets, a set of records and a set of links, where the record types are made up of fields in the usual way.
Networks are complicated data structures.
Operators on network databases are complex, functioning on individual records, and not sets of records. Increased complexity does not mean increased functionality and the network model is no more powerful than the relational model. However, a network-based DBMS can provide good performance because its lack of abstraction means it is closer th the storage structured used though this is at the expense of good user programming. The network model also incorporates certain integrity rules.