Table Inheritance for Multi-Tenant Cloud Database Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing ERP applications in multi-tenant cloud environments face inefficiencies and high costs due to large base data sizes, leading to redundant data storage and increased hardware requirements, especially during customer onboarding, which are exacerbated by copy-on-write arrangements that complicate the application layer and increase complexity.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a table inheritance arrangement where logical tables are represented by shared tables at common storage and tenant delta tables at individual tenancies, allowing queries to be handled transparently by the database management application, reducing redundant data storage and simplifying the ERP application layer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If copy-on-write arrangements are used to manage base data in multi-tenant cloud environments, then data integrity and consistency are maintained, but device complexity and hardware requirements increase due to redundant data storage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata integrityVSAvoidhardware requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments base data into shared base tables stored in common storage and tenant-specific delta tables stored in tenant data storages. This segmentation allows the system to maintain data integrity through the structured inheritance relationship while reducing redundant storage by keeping only modified data at the tenant level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the shared base tables with tenant-specific delta tables to form logical tables that are presented to ERP applications. This merging occurs transparently through the database management application, which combines data from both storage locations to provide a unified view without requiring applications to handle the complexity of distributed data management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If copy-on-write arrangements are implemented, then data consistency across tenants is ensured, but the application layer complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidapplication layer complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The database management application serves as an intermediary between ERP applications and the physical table storage structure. It transparently handles the complexity of combining shared base tables with tenant-specific delta tables, allowing applications to interact with logical tables using standard SQL operations without needing to understand the underlying data distribution and consistency mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If large base data sizes are used to support multi-tenant ERP applications, then comprehensive functionality is provided, but storage efficiency decreases due to redundant data storage

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidredundant data storage
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data into shared base tables containing common ERP functionality data and tenant-specific delta tables containing only modified data. This segmentation enables comprehensive functionality to be provided through the shared base tables while minimizing redundant storage by storing only necessary tenant-specific modifications in the delta tables.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If tenant-specific data storages are used for each tenant, then data isolation and security are improved, but hardware costs increase due to data duplication

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata isolationVSAvoiddata duplication
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data storage into common storage for shared base tables and tenant-specific data storages for delta tables. This segmentation ensures data isolation and security by keeping tenant-specific modifications in isolated storage while sharing common data, thereby reducing overall data duplication compared to storing complete copies of all base data in each tenant's storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4715626A1Cloud database management system with table inheritance
Publication Date: 2026.03.25 SAP SE
  • EP4715626A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4715626A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4715626A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Various examples are directed to systems and methods of managing a database in a multi-tenant cloud environment. A database management application may receive a first query directed to a first table. The first query may be received from a cloud application associated with a first tenant of the multi-tenant cloud environment. The database management application may access a first shared table associated with the first table and stored at a common storage of the multi-tenant cloud environment and a first tenant delta table associated with the first table and stored at a tenant data storage. The database management application may generate a first query response based at least in part on the first query, the first shared table and the first tenant delta table.