With a bi-di relationship ========================= CREATE TABLE PREFERENCE (FKEY VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, FTYPE INTEGER, PRIMARY KEY (FKEY)) CREATE TABLE PREFERENCEVALUE (ID NUMERIC(19) NOT NULL, FINDEX INTEGER, FVALUE VARCHAR(255), FPARENT_FKEY VARCHAR(255), PRIMARY KEY (ID)) Without ======= CREATE TABLE PREFERENCE_PREFERENCEVALUE (Preference_FKEY VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, fValues_ID NUMERIC(19) NOT NULL, PRIMARY KEY (Preference_FKEY, fValues_ID)) CREATE TABLE PREFERENCE (FKEY VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL, FTYPE INTEGER, PRIMARY KEY (FKEY)) CREATE TABLE PREFERENCEVALUE (ID NUMERIC(19) NOT NULL, FINDEX INTEGER, FVALUE VARCHAR(255), PRIMARY KEY (ID))