A method of checking consistency of pointers in a hierarchical database includes reading segment information recorded on the hierarchical database and determining a type of each segment and pointer included in each segment. The method also includes extracting parent pointers and twin pointers from child segments and extracting a child pointer from the parent segment. The method also includes calculating a first hash value by a combination of a storage location address of the parent segment and a value of the child pointer and a combination of the values of the parent pointers and the twin pointers included in the child segments, and a second hash value from a combination of storage location addresses of the child segments and the values of the parent pointers included in the child segments. The method further includes indicating a consistency error when the first hash value and the second hash value differ.