1. A database structure for enabling a database image to be written from memory to, and recovered from, a storage device, comprising: a plurality of data structures, each said data structure including a self-pointer and zero or more memory pointers to other data structures within said database structure; each said self-pointer including indicia representative of the location in memory occupied by said data structure prior to be written to said storage device; each said memory pointer including indicia representative of the location in memory occupied by another of said data structures prior to be written to said storage device.