IP Library Granted Patent US 7,162,478
Granted Patent B2
US 7,162,478 · App. 09/796,928 · Granted Jan 9, 2007

System and method for correlated fragmentations in databases

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,162,478
App. No.
09/796,928
Granted
Jan 9, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatus and methods to identify a home fragment for a child row of a child table of a database, the home fragment for a row being the fragment in which the row is stored. A child key value of the child row is obtained and used to identify a fragment of a parent table that is correlated with the child key value of the child row. The child key value being the value of a child key attribute of the child row and represents a reference to a parent row in a parent table. The result is the home fragment for the child row that corresponds to identified fragment of a parent table that is correlated with the child key value of the child row.

Claims (20)

1. A system for eliminating fragments in the evaluation of a query that references both a parent and a child table in a relational database, comprising a processor configured for:

establishing a correlated fragmentation scheme using key values to define a M:N relationship between M fragments of a fragmented parent table and N fragments of the child table, the key being a child key for the child table and a parent key for the parent table, a child key value representing a reference to a parent row in the parent table;

obtaining a set of child key values for the child rows satisfying the query predicate;

using the set of child key values to identify a set of parent table fragments, the set of parent table fragments being all the fragments of the parent table having a row that is referenced by any of the set of child key values;

using any predicate or other qualifier on the parent table to further reduce the set of parent table fragment identifiers through the process fragment elimination; and

using the identified set of parent table fragments and the correlated fragmentation scheme to identify a set of child table fragments to be scanned; and

using the identified set of parent table fragments as the basis for a scan of the parent table.

2. Computer readable storage medium to execute code to eliminate fragments in the evaluation of a query that references both a parent and a child table in a relational database, comprising instructions to:

establish a correlated fragmentation scheme using key values to define a M:N relationship between M fragments of a fragmented parent table and N fragments of the child table, the key being a child key for the child table and a parent key for the parent table, a child key value representing a reference to a parent row in the parent table;

obtain a set of child key values for the child rows satisfying the query predicate; use the set of child key values to identify a set of parent table fragments, the set of parent table fragments being all the fragments of the parent table having a row that is referenced by any of the set of child key values;

use any predicate or other qualifier on the parent table to further reduce the set of parent table fragment identifiers through the process fragment elimination;

use the identified set of parent table fragments and the correlated fragmentation scheme to identify a set of child table fragments to be scanned; and

use the identified set of parent table fragments as the basis for a scan of the parent.

3. A computer implemented method for eliminating fragments in the evaluation of a query that references both a parent and a child table in a relational database, comprising:

establishing a correlated fragmentation scheme using key values to define a M:N relationship between M fragments of a fragmented parent table and N fragments of the child table, the key being a child key for the child table and a parent key for the parent table, a child key value representing a reference to a parent row in the parent table;

obtaining a set of child key values for the child rows satisfying the query predicate;

using the set of child key values to identify a set of parent table fragments, the set of parent table fragments being all the fragments of the parent table having a row that is referenced by any of the set of child key values;

using any predicate or other qualifier on the parent table to further reduce the set of parent table fragment identifiers through the process fragment elimination; and

using the identified set of parent table fragments and the correlated fragmentation scheme to identify a set of child table fragments to be scanned; and

using the identified set of parent table fragments as the basis for a scan of the parent table.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 1, 2002
From: INFORMIX CORPORATION AND/OR INFORMIX SOFTWARE INC.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 012581/0221 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2001
From: GERBER, ROBERT; TAYLOR, PAUL S.
To: INFORMIX SOFTWARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 011586/0907 →