Database indexing and rolling storage method for time-stamped normalized event data

• US 20020173911A1
• Filed: 05/07/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Brunet, Xavier, Rhodes, N. Lee
• Granted Patent: US 6,662,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/30 of unstructured textual data document management systems G06F16/93
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A database indexing and rolling storage method for normalized event data. Indexing of the normalized event database meets the goals of a manageable storage database and fast accessibility. A log reference step is not required to locate information in the database because the indexing of the invention utilizes the time-stamp information in assigning the location for storage. There accordingly is no need for a separate look-up to associate a time stamped set of information, i.e., a table in a normalized event data database, because the indexing provides an unambiguous reference to a reusable storage location. Because the time-stamped indexing permits re-use of preplanned storage locations, the historical limits of the normalized event data may easily roll over. In other words, elimination of an oldest time period table of data while updating a new table of data is easily accounted for in the indexed database and storage method of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for indexing and storing time-stamped normalized event data in a database, the method comprising steps of:

allocating an area of database storage sufficient to retain an amount of normalized event data over a predetermined retention time H;

dividing the area of database storage into H/P number of unique storage locations, each unique storage location being addressable by a unique index number, where P corresponds to a duration of a chunk of data;

collecting time-stamped normalized event data in P-duration chunks, each P-duration chunk having a time stamp T associated therewith and indicating a total time measured from a fixed point in time;

assigning one of the unique index numbers to each of the P-duration chunks collected in said step of collecting according to index number=T/P modulo H/P+Offset, where Offset is one of a constant value or a periodic function of period H; and

storing each P-duration chunk of data in a database in said area of database storage according to the index number assigned in said step of assigning.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein H and P comprise selectable quantities and said steps of allocating are conducted after selection of H and P.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said Offset is equal to 1.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of permitting access to said database by a software application according to said unique index numbers.

5. The method according to claim 5, wherein said software application comprises statistical analysis software.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said software application comprises management inquiry software.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said software comprises supplemental storage software.

8. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium that when executed causes a computer to:

collect normalized event data in fixed P-duration chunks, each chunk of data including a time stamp T indicating a total time measured from a fixed point in time;

assign to each P-duration chunk of data collected in said code to collect, from a collection of predetermined storage locations at least sufficient to store one of said P-duration chunks and having unique storage locations for a plurality of P-duration chunks for a total retention time H, an index number corresponding to one of said unique storage locations wherein the time stamp is used to generate the index number according to index number=T/P modulo H/P+Offset, wherein Offset is one of a constant value or periodic function of period H;

store each chunk of data collected in said code to collect according to the index number assigned in said code to assign.