Bitmap index including internal metadata storage
A method includes receiving a first signal and updating a bitmap index responsive to the first signal. The bitmap index includes a plurality of bit strings, where a value stored in a particular location in each of the bit strings indicates whether a corresponding signal associated with a signal source has been received. Updating the bitmap index responsive to the first signal includes updating a first bit of the bitmap index and updating first metadata values stored in the bitmap index, wherein the first metadata values comprise a plurality of sort index values indicating relative ranks of the first bit string relative to other bit strings. The method also includes outputting query results based on a query, wherein the query results identify one or more signals associated with one or more bit strings of the plurality of bit strings and one or more signal sources of a plurality of signal sources, and wherein the query results are sorted according to one of the first metadata values.
1. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions stored therein that are executable by a computing system to perform operations comprising:
storing a bitmap index identifying a plurality of properties for a plurality of entities, wherein the bitmap index includes a first bit string associated with a first property of the plurality of properties, wherein a bit at a particular location in the first bit string indicates whether a particular one of the plurality of entities possesses the first property; and
storing a first metadata value that specifies a non-bit value associated with the first bit string;
receiving a query associated with ones of the plurality of entities identified in the bitmap index as possessing the first property; and
returning a result for the query, wherein the result includes the first metadata value.
2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
storing a second metadata value that specifies a non-bit value for a first entity of the plurality of entities.
3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the result also includes the second metadata value.
4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the second metadata value is identity information for the first entity.
5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first metadata value is a count value indicative of a total number of the plurality of entities that possess the first property.
6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the bitmap index identifies the plurality of properties for other entities in addition to the plurality of entities.
7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , the operations further comprising storing a global count value indicative of a total number of all of the entities in the first bit string that possess the first property.
8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first metadata value is a count sort index usable to sort bit strings within the bitmap index based on respective count values for each bit string.
9. A method, comprising:
storing a bitmap index that indicates, using a plurality of bit strings, whether a plurality of properties are possessed by ones of a plurality of entities according to data stored in a separate data storage, wherein a given bit in a given bit string indicates whether a corresponding one of a plurality of entities possesses a particular property corresponding to the given bit string;
storing a first metadata value that specifies a non-bit value associated with a first of the plurality of bit strings that corresponds to a first of the plurality of properties;
receiving a query for information stored in the bitmap index;
determining a result for the query, wherein the determining includes evaluating whether, according to the bitmap index, ones of the plurality of entities possess the first property; and
returning the result, wherein the result includes the first metadata value.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising storing custom profile metadata that specifies one or more non-bit values for a first of the plurality of entities, including information that identifies the first entity.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the result also includes the custom profile metadata.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first metadata value is a count value indicative of a total number of the plurality of entities that possess the first property.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first metadata value is a count sort index usable to sort bit strings within the bitmap index based on respective count values for each of the plurality of bit strings.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first metadata value indicates a category of the first property.
15. An apparatus, comprising:
a computer system that includes a processor system and a memory storing program instructions executable by the processor system to perform operations comprising:
storing a bitmap index representative of data stored in remote storage, wherein the bitmap index identifies a plurality of properties for a plurality of entities, wherein the bitmap index includes a first bit string associated with a first of the plurality of properties, wherein a bit at a particular location in the first bit string indicates whether a particular one of the plurality of entities possesses the first property; and
storing a first metadata value that specifies a non-bit value associated with the first bit string;
receiving a query for information stored in the bitmap index;
determining a result for the query, wherein the determining includes evaluating whether ones of the plurality of entities identified in the bitmap index possess the first property; and
returning the result, wherein the result includes the first metadata value.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
storing custom profile metadata that specifies one or more non-bit values for a first entity of the plurality of entities.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the result also includes the custom profile metadata.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the custom profile metadata includes an email address for the first entity.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first metadata value is a count value indicative of a total number of the plurality of entities that possess the first property.
20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first metadata value is a count sort index usable to sort bit strings within the bitmap index based on respective count values for each bit string.