DEFERRED RELEASE PROCESSING WITHOUT DATABASE RECORD LOCKING
Performance in databases stored over multiple host computer systems may be improved by writing and releasing records without locking the records. An attribute flag may be set on certain records in a database to indicate to the database that the records may be written and released without locking the records. When the attribute flag is set, the record may be processed during deferred processing by writing a free bit pattern and releasing the record without locking the record.
1 . A method, comprising:
receiving a request to release a record in a database;
identifying the record as a non-locking record; and
releasing the record without locking the record.
2 . The method of claim 1 , in which the step of releasing the record comprises writing a free bit pattern to the record.
3 . The method of claim 1 , in which the step of identifying the record comprises identifying a set flag on the record.
4 . The method of claim 1 , in which the step of identifying the record comprises identifying a set flag on a file in which the record is stored.
5 . The method of claim 1 , in which the database is stored on multiple host computer systems.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising when the record is not identified as a non-locking record:
locking the record;
releasing the record; and
unlocking the record.
7 . A computer program product, comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:
code to receive a request to release a record in a database;
code to identify the record as a non-locking record; and
code to release the record without locking the record.
8 . The computer program product of claim 7 , in which the code to release the record comprises code to write a free bit pattern to the record.
9 . The computer program product of claim 7 , in which the code to identify the record comprises code to identify a set flag on the record.
10 . The computer program product of claim 7 , in which the code to identify the record comprises code to identify a set flag on a file in which the record is stored.
11 . The computer program product of claim 7 , in which the database is stored on multiple host computer systems.
12 . The computer program product of claim 7 , in which the medium further comprises:
code to, when the record is not identified as a non-locking record, lock the record;
code to release the record; and
code to unlock the record.
13 . An apparatus, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing at least a portion of a database, in which the memory is coupled to the processor,
in which the processor is configured:
to receive a request to release a record in the database;
to identify the record as a non-locking record; and
to release the record without locking the record.
14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , in which the processor is configured to write a free bit pattern to the record.
15 . The apparatus of claim 13 , in which the processor is configured to identify a set flag on the record to determine if the record is a non-locking record.
16 . The apparatus of claim 13 , in which the processor is configured to identify a set flag on a file in which the record is stored to determine if the record is a non-locking record.
17 . The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a second processor and a second memory storing at least a portion of the database, in which the database is stored on multiple host computer systems.
18 . The apparatus of claim 13 , in which the processor is further configured:
to, when the record is not identified as a non-locking record, lock the record;
to release the record; and
to unlock the record.