Pseudo Table Storage for Small Database Tables
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Solution Overview
Problem
The management of small or empty tables in database systems leads to disproportionate overhead and resource consumption, particularly in cloud-based environments, due to initial space allocation and computing overhead, and can exceed limits on the number of physical table objects.
Innovation Solution
The creation of pseudo tables as virtual representations of small tables, allowing inline data encoding within programs, which are materialized only when necessary, thereby reducing overhead and resource consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If small tables are stored as physical table objects in the database, then data access and management are straightforward, but storage space is wasted and administrative overhead increases disproportionately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual table copies instead of physical table objects. These virtual tables are represented as database views that reference the underlying physical table, allowing multiple virtual instances without duplicating the actual data storage. This resolves the contradiction by providing easy access through multiple table references while avoiding proportional storage multiplication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual table layer as an intermediary between the user and the physical table. This virtual layer handles data access and management operations, while the actual data remains stored once in the physical table. The virtual table acts as a mediator that provides straightforward access semantics without requiring physical duplication of data.
2Adaptability or versatility
If small tables are stored as physical table objects, then they can be independently managed, but resource consumption and administrative overhead become disproportionate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses virtual table copies that reference the same physical data storage. Each virtual table can be independently managed, created, and configured, but they all point to the same underlying physical table structure. This provides adaptability and independent management capabilities while avoiding the resource consumption of creating separate physical storage structures for each table.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of physical table objects is increased to meet object limits, then more tables can be created, but the system exceeds maximum table object limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements virtual table copies that do not consume physical table object slots in the same way as traditional tables. By using database views and references instead of physical table objects, the system can create numerous virtual tables without approaching the maximum table object limits, thus maintaining adaptability while avoiding device complexity constraints.
4Quantity of substance
If inline data encoding is used in pseudo tables, then storage space is minimized, but data access requires program execution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-encodes data in inline format within the virtual table structure during table creation. This preliminary encoding minimizes storage space by storing data in a compact representation. When data access is needed, the system executes the associated program to decode and retrieve the data, balancing storage efficiency with access capability.
Data Source
AI summary
In several aspects for storing a table, in which the table is configured for comprising records having values of one or more attributes, a processor creates a pseudo table representing the table, the creating comprising defining an empty version of the table in a program. One or more records may be inserted in the pseudo table by encoding attribute values of the one or more records as inline data in the program. In response to determining that the pseudo table satisfies a materialization criterion, the pseudo table may be materialized by creating the table with the records encoded in the program and removing the program.