Dual data storage using an in-memory array and an on-disk page structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016147457-A1
Application number	US-201414553859-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 25, 2014
Priority date	Nov 25, 2014
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods for the dual storage of data using an in-memory array and an on-disk page structure. An in-memory array holding a column of data can be maintained. One or more pages can be maintained. Each of the one or more pages can have one or more rows for storing the column of data. Random access can be provided to a subset of the one or more rows by at least loading the subset of rows from the one or more pages to the in-memory array without loading all of the rows from the one or more pages. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for implementation by one or more data processors forming part of at least one computing system, the method comprising:
maintaining an in-memory array holding a column of data; maintaining one or more pages, each of the one or more pages having one or more rows for storing the column of data; and providing random access to a subset of the one or more rows by at least loading the subset of rows from the one or more pages to the in-memory array without loading all of the rows from the one or more pages.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the in-memory array has a contiguous block of memory addresses, and
wherein the contiguous block of memory addresses supports random access of the data when all of the data is loaded into the in-memory array.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the column of data in the in-memory array includes one or more value identifiers.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more value identifiers are encoded in a native format, and
wherein the one or more rows on the one or more pages store the one or more value identifiers in the native format.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the native format uses an N-bit encoding scheme.

6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more rows on the one or more pages do not store any data for the column when the one or more value identifiers are null values.

7 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more rows on the one or more pages do not store any data for the column when an identity property applies to the column, and
wherein the identity property applies to the column when each value identifier is equal in value to a row position associated with the value identifier.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the loading is performed when the computing system is being restored.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions to configure a processor to perform operations comprising:
maintaining an in-memory array holding a column of data; maintaining one or more pages, each of the one or more pages having one or more rows for storing the column of data; and providing random access to a subset of the one or more rows by at least loading the subset of rows from the one or more pages to the in-memory array without loading all of the rows from the one or more pages.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the in-memory array has a contiguous block of memory addresses, and
wherein the contiguous block of memory addresses supports random access of the data when all of the data is loaded into the in-memory array.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the column of data in the in-memory array includes one or more value identifiers.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the one or more value identifiers are encoded in a native format, and
wherein the one or more rows on the one or more pages store the one or more value identifiers in the native format.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the one or more rows on the one or more pages do not store any data for the column when the one or more value identifiers are null values.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the one or more rows on the one or more pages do not store any data for the column when an identity property applies to the column, and
wherein the identity property applies to the column when each value identifier is equal in value to a row position associated with the value identifier.

15 . A system comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor and the at least one memory are configured to perform operations comprising: maintaining an in-memory array holding a column of data; maintaining one or more pages, each of the one or more pages having one or more rows for storing the column of data; and providing random access to a subset of the one or more rows by at least loading the subset of rows from the one or more pages to the in-memory array without loading all of the rows from the one or more pages.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the in-memory array has a contiguous block of memory addresses, and
wherein the contiguous block of memory addresses supports random access of the data when all of the data is loaded into the in-memory array.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the column of data in the in-memory array includes one or more value identifiers.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the one or more value identifiers are encoded in a native format, and
wherein the one or more rows on the one or more pages store the one or more value identifiers in the native format.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the one or more rows on the one or more pages do not store any data for the column when the one or more value identifiers are null values.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the one or more rows on the one or more pages do not store any data for the column when an identity property applies to the column, and
wherein the identity property applies to the column when each value identifier is equal in value to a row position associated with the value identifier.

Assignees

• Legler Thomas
• Wein David
• Schreter Ivan
• Andrei Mihnea
• Goel Anil Kumar
• Radestock Guenter

Inventors

• Legler Thomas
• Wein David
• Schreter Ivan
• Andrei Mihnea
• Goel Anil Kumar
• Radestock Guenter

Classifications

• G06F3/0653

  Monitoring storage devices or systems · CPC title

• G06F3/0605 Primary

  by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator · CPC title

• G06F16/90339

  by using parallel associative memories or content-addressable memories · CPC title

• G06F16/221 Primary

  Column-oriented storage; Management thereof · CPC title

• G06F3/067

  Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS] · CPC title