IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,625,881
Granted Patent B2
US 12,625,881 · App. 18/587,151 · Granted May 12, 2026

Caching systems and methods

Inventors: Thierry Cruanes (San Mateo, CA); Benoit Dageville (Foster City, CA); Marcin Zukowski (San Mateo, CA)
Assignee: Snowflake Inc.
G06F16/273A61F5/566G06F9/4881G06F9/5016G06F9/5044G06F9/5083G06F9/5088G06F16/148G06F16/1827G06F16/211G06F16/221G06F16/2365G06F16/24532G06F16/24545G06F16/24552G06F16/2456G06F16/2471G06F16/254G06F16/27G06F16/283G06F16/951G06F16/9535G06F16/9538H04L67/1095H04L67/1097H04L67/568
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,625,881
App. No.
18/587,151
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Example caching systems and methods are described. In one implementation, a method receives a set of queries to be processed by a set of virtual warehouses. The method distributes the set of queries to the set of virtual warehouses to be executed and creates, during the processing of the set of queries by the set of virtual warehouses, a new virtual warehouse, wherein cache resources associated with the new virtual warehouse are populated with data files associated with the set of queries at the time the virtual warehouse is created and the cache resources vary among the processors, wherein a first subset of the processors comprises minimal cache resources and a second subset of processors comprises cache resources providing faster input-output operations. The method redistributes the set of queries across the set of virtual warehouses.

Claims (63)

1 . A method comprising:

receiving a set of queries to be processed by a set of virtual warehouses, wherein each virtual warehouse of the set of virtual warehouses includes a first set of processors and cache resources corresponding to the first set of processors;

distributing, by a second set of processors, the set of queries to the set of virtual warehouses to be executed by the first set of processors;

creating, during the processing of the set of queries by the set of virtual warehouses, a new virtual warehouse;

determining, based on metadata, a file on a remote storage device, the metadata indicating information about data organization on the remote storage device;

retrieving the file from the remote storage device;

storing the file in cache resources associated with the new virtual warehouse, wherein:

the cache resources associated with the new virtual warehouse are populated with data files associated with the set of queries at a time the virtual warehouse is created to restore a metadata state associated with the set of queries based on a set of statistics, wherein the metadata state associated with the set of queries is based on a previous state of a previously terminated virtual warehouse from the set of virtual warehouses and includes the file stored in the cache resources and information related to a last time the file was accessed; and

the cache resources vary among the first set of processors, wherein a first subset of the first set of processors comprises minimal cache resources and a second subset of the first set of processors comprises cache resources providing faster input-output operations; and

redistributing, as a result of the creating, the set of queries across the set of virtual warehouses.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of queries are associated with a database comprising a set of database tables.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the set of database tables is encrypted and is subsequently decrypted before executing the set of queries.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the set of database tables is compressed and is subsequently decompressed before executing the set of queries.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:

each of the second set of processors processes one of the set of database tables; and data from the one of the set of database tables is stored in a cache associated with that processor.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of queries are received from a set of clients, further comprising generating a set of results from the execution of the set of queries, and returning the set of results to the set of clients.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising optimizing the set of queries.

8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the database is a relational database.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the relational database is a structured query language database.

10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the database is a multi-tenant database that isolates computing resources and data between different customers.

11 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the database is external to a system that includes the first set of processors.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of statistics comprises the metadata related to one or more databases.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of statistics is automatically accumulated.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of statistics is automatically updated.

15 . A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processing device operatively coupled to the memory, the processing device to:

receive a set of queries to be processed by a set of virtual warehouses, wherein each

virtual warehouse of the set of virtual warehouses includes a first set of processors and cache resources corresponding to the first set of processors;

distribute, by a second set of processors, the set of queries to the set of virtual warehouses to be executed by the first set of processors;

create, during the processing of the set of queries by the set of virtual warehouses, a new virtual warehouse;

determine, based on metadata, a file on a remote storage device, the metadata indicating information about data organization on the remote storage device;

retrieve the file from the remote storage device;

store the file in cache resources associated with the new virtual warehouse, wherein:

the cache resources associated with the new virtual warehouse are populated with data files associated with the set of queries at a time the virtual warehouse is created to restore a metadata state associated with the set of queries based on a set of statistics, wherein the metadata state associated with the set of queries is based on a previous state of a previously terminated virtual warehouse from the set of virtual warehouses and includes the file stored in the cache resources and information related to a last time the file was accessed; and

the cache resources vary among the first set of processors, wherein a first subset of the first set of processors comprises minimal cache resources and a second subset of the first set of processors comprises cache resources providing faster input-output operations; and

redistribute, as a result of the creating, the set of queries across the set of virtual warehouses.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the cache resources associated with the new virtual warehouse include a memory device and a disk storage device.

17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

receive a set of queries to be processed by a set of virtual warehouses, wherein each virtual warehouse of the set of virtual warehouses includes a first set of processors and cache resources corresponding to the first set of processors;

distribute, by a second set of processors, the set of queries to the set of virtual warehouses to be executed by the first set of processors;

create, during the processing of the set of queries by the set of virtual warehouses, a new virtual warehouse;

determine, based on metadata, a file on a remote storage device, the metadata indicating information about data organization on the remote storage device;

retrieve the file from the remote storage device;

store the file in cache resources associated with the new virtual warehouse, wherein:

the cache resources associated with the new virtual warehouse are populated with data files associated with the set of queries at a time the virtual warehouse is created to restore a metadata state associated with the set of queries based on a set of statistics, wherein the metadata state associated with the set of queries is based on a previous state of a previously terminated virtual warehouse from the set of virtual warehouses and includes the file stored in the cache resources and information related to a last time the file was accessed; and

the cache resources vary among the first set of processors, wherein a first subset of the first set of processors comprises minimal cache resources and a second subset of the first set of processors comprises cache resources providing faster input-output operations; and

redistribute, as a result of the creating, the set of queries across the set of virtual warehouses.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the set of queries comprises a set of database tables.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the set of database tables is encrypted and is subsequently decrypted before executing the set of queries.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the set of database tables is compressed and is subsequently decompressed before the executing of the set of queries.

21 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein:

each of the set of processors processes one of the set of database tables; and

data from the set of database tables is stored in a cache associated with that processor.

22 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the set of queries is received from a set of clients, and the instructions further cause the set of processors to generate a set of results from the execution of the set of queries, and return the set of results to the set of clients.

23 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the set of processors to optimize the set of queries.

24 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the set of queries is associated with a relational database.

25 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the relational database is a structured query language database.

26 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the relational database is a multi-tenant database that isolates computing resources and data between different customers.

27 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the relational database is external to a system that includes the set of processors.

28 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the set of statistics comprises the metadata related to one or more databases.

29 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the processing device is further to accumulate the set of statistics automatically.

30 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the processing device is further to update the set of statistics automatically.

Continuity (5)
Continuation 18202502 · May 26, 2023
Continuation 16805638 · Feb 28, 2020
Continuation 14518971 · Oct 20, 2014
Provisional Application 61941986 · Feb 19, 2014
Related Publication 20240256570A1 · Aug 1, 2024
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