Hypercube Memory Cache Multi-Version Concurrency Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Query evaluation systems face challenges in managing large and complex hypercubes, particularly in ensuring data consistency and efficiency when dealing with increasing data volumes over time.

Innovation Solution

The system implements a multiversion concurrency control method that uses snapshotting of value objects to manage updates in hypercubes, storing snapshot chains with validity periods to ensure data consistency and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire hypercube is copied to ensure data consistency during updates, then data consistency is improved, but memory resource consumption increases substantially

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidmemory resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the hypercube data into individual versioned cells, where each cell maintains its own version history independently. This allows updates to be applied at the cell level rather than requiring full hypercube copies, reducing memory consumption while maintaining consistency for affected data portions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements copy-on-write semantics where full copies are only made when necessary (when a cell is updated). Most reads operate on shared immutable versions, and copies are created incrementally only for modified cells, rather than copying the entire hypercube structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If version information is stored for each location in the hypercube, then data consistency across versions is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveversion consistencyVSAvoidsystem structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the version metadata storage with the existing hypercube cell structure. Version information is integrated into the cell data structure itself rather than requiring separate external version stores, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining version tracking capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The versioned cell structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it stores the actual data values, maintains version history, enables time-travel queries, and supports concurrency control. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4564189A1Memory efficient multi-versioned concurrency for a hypercube memory cache using formula snapshots
Publication Date: 2025.06.04 WORKDAY INC
  • EP4564189A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4564189A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4564189A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A system, method, and device for managing updates to a hypercube is provided. The method includes (i) obtaining a hypercube comprising a plurality of locations, wherein a particular location has an anchor object that stores version information for the particular location, and the particular location comprises a first formula that is evaluated to return a value for the particular location, (ii) in response to receiving the request for the value, determining that the particular location comprises the first formula, (iii) in response to determining that the particular location comprises the first formula, evaluating the first formula to obtain a result, and (iv) storing the result for the particular location in association with the version information for the particular location.