Techniques for storing and manipulating tabular data are provided. According to one embodiment, a user may control whether tabular data is stored in row-level or column-major format. Furthermore, the user may control the level of data compression to achieve an optimal balance between query performance and compression ratios. Tabular data from within the same table may be stored in both column-major and row-major format and compressed at different levels. In addition, tabular data can migrate between column-major format and row-major format in response to various events. For example, in response to a request to update or lock a row stored in column-major format, the row may be migrated and subsequently stored into row-major format. In one embodiment, table partitions are used to enhance data compression techniques. For example, compression tests are performed on a representative table partition, and a compression map is generated and applied to other table partitions.

Claims

40 · 8 independent · depth 5

40 granted claims

›1.independentA method comprising:nstoring a plurality of rows in a compression unit, wherein a first subset of said plurality of rows are stored in a column-major …+4

›6.independentA method comprising:nstoring database metadata that defines properties of segments of a database table;wherein said database metadata defines a first …+4

›11.independentA method comprising:ndetermining compression parameters for storing first data in compression units of a first database table segment, in column-major…+8

›12.↳ 11The method of claim 11, further comprising:nobtaining data that indicates a first selected balance point for said first database table segment;wherein…d2+3

›16.↳ 11The method of claim 11, wherein said compression parameters are stored in a compression map associated with said first database table segment.d2

›17.↳ 11The method of claim 11, wherein said step of determining is performed in response to a first request to load first data into said first database table…d2

›18.↳ 11The method of claim 11, wherein said step of determining compression parameters is performed in response to receiving a request to load data into the …d2

›19.↳ 11The method of claim 11, wherein said first and second database table segments are table partitions from a particular database table.d2

›20.independentA method comprising:nstoring a plurality of rows in a compression unit, wherein at least a subset of said plurality of rows is stored in column-major …

›21.independentOne or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more computing …+4

›26.independentOne or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more computing …+4

›31.independentOne or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more computing …+8

›32.↳ 31The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 31 wherein the instructions further cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations …d2+3

›33.↳ 32The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 32 wherein the instructions further cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations …d3+2

›36.↳ 31The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein said compression parameters are stored in a compression map associated with said first…d2

›37.↳ 31The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein the instructions cause said step of determining in response to a first request to load…d2

›38.↳ 31The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein the instructions cause said step of determining compression parameters in response to …d2

›39.↳ 31The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 31, wherein said first and second database table segments are table partitions from a particular d…d2

›40.independentOne or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more computing …

Classifications

7 codes

IPC · International Patent Classification

Section G — Physics

G06F17/30

USPC · US Patent Classification

707/796707/812707/693707/769711/114711/112

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Pendency

3.0 y

1,093 days filing → grant

Office actions

non-final + final

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1 RCE

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Examiner

Jean M Corrielus

art unit 2162 · TC 2100

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Priority chain

2 priority documents

Priority

30 Apr 2009

earliest claimed

›Priority documents — 2

Type	Document	Date
provisional	US 61174447	30 Apr 2009
related publication	US 20110029569 A1	3 Feb 2011

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