Optimization of queries on a repository based on constraints on how the data is stored in the repository

• US 20070011167A1
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Arora, Vikas, Liu, Zhen, Krishnaprasad, Muralidhar
• Granted Patent: US 8,166,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/14 Details of searching files based on file metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24547 Optimisations to support specific applications; Extensibility of optimisers

Abstract

Constraints that restrict how corresponding identifiable groups of files are stored in a database, are enforced on corresponding file data. In response to a query on any data from an identifiable group of files, the effect of the constraint on how the corresponding data is stored is determined. The original query is rewritten, based on the effect of the constraint, so that the rewritten query is directed to a particular subset of the data stored in the database. Consequently, the search space is restricted to an identifiable subset of the database and execution of the rewritten query is more efficient than execution of the original query.

Claims

1. A method comprising performing a machine-executed operation involving instructions, wherein the machine-executed operation is at least one of:

A) sending the instructions over transmission media;

B) receiving the instructions over transmission media;

C) storing the instructions onto a machine-readable storage medium; and

D) executing the instructions;

wherein the instructions are instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of;

registering with a database system a constraint on a particular portion of a directory, to restrict how data from the portion of the directory is stored in the database;

receiving a first query on the database;

determining that performing the first query would involve data from the portion of the directory;

determining, based on the query and the constraint, the effect of the constraint on how the data from the constrained portion of the directory is stored in the database; and

generating a second query, based on the first query and the effect of the constraint on how the data from the portion of the directory is stored in the database, that is directed to a particular subset of the data stored in the database.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the constraint is a logical constraint that restricts a particular set of one or more folders, from a file system directory, to containing only files that contain a particular type of content;

wherein receiving a first query includes receiving a first query that involves the particular type of content; and

wherein generating a second query includes generating a second query that is directed, at least in part, to the particular set of one or more folders.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the constraint includes a logical constraint that restricts a particular set of one or more folders, from a file system directory, to containing only files that contain a particular type of content;

wherein the constraint includes a physical constraint that restricts storing data from the files contained in the particular set of one or more folders to storage in a corresponding set of one or more particular database tables; and

wherein receiving a first query includes receiving a first query that involves the particular set of one or more folders; and

wherein generating a second query includes generating a second query that is directed, at least in part, to the corresponding set of one or more particular database tables.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the constraint includes a logical constraint that restricts a particular set of one or more folders, from a file system directory, to containing only files that contain a particular type of content;

wherein the constraint includes a physical constraint that restricts storing data from the files contained in the particular set of one or more folders to storage in a corresponding set of one or more particular database tables; and

wherein receiving a first query includes receiving a first query that involves the particular type of content; and

wherein generating a second query includes generating a second query that is directed, at least in part, to the corresponding set of one or more particular database tables.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the constraint is a logical constraint that restricts a particular set of one or more folders, from a file system directory, to containing only files that are associated with a particular XML schema;

wherein receiving a first query includes receiving a first query that involves a file that are associated with the particular XML schema; and

wherein generating a second query includes generating a second query that is directed, at least in part, to the particular set of one or more folders.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the constraint includes a logical constraint that restricts a particular set of one or more folders, from a file system directory, to containing only files that are associated with a particular XML schema;

wherein the constraint includes a physical constraint that restricts storing data from the files contained in the particular set of one or more folders to storage in a corresponding set of one or more particular database tables;

wherein receiving a first query includes receiving a first query that involves the particular set of one or more folders; and

wherein generating a second query includes generating a second query that is directed, at least in part, to the corresponding set of one or more particular database tables.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the constraint includes a logical constraint that restricts a particular set of one or more folders, from a file system directory, to containing only files that are associated with a particular XML schema;

wherein the constraint includes a physical constraint that restricts storing data from the files contained in the particular set of one or more folders to storage in a corresponding set of one or more particular database tables;

wherein receiving a first query includes receiving a first query that involves a file that are associated with the particular XML schema; and

wherein generating a second query includes generating a second query that is directed, at least in part, to the corresponding set of one or more particular database tables.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the constraint includes a physical constraint that restricts storing data from files contained in a particular portion of a file system directory to storage in a corresponding set of one or more particular database tables;

wherein receiving a first query includes receiving a first query that involves the particular portion of the file system directory; and

wherein generating a second query includes generating a second query that is directed, at least in part, to the corresponding set of one or more particular database tables.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein the constraint includes a physical constraint that restricts storing data from files contained in a particular portion of a file system directory to storage in a corresponding set of one or more particular database views;

wherein receiving a first query includes receiving a first query that involves the particular portion of the file system directory; and

wherein generating a second query includes generating a second query that is directed, at least in part, to the corresponding set of one or more particular database views.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein the constraint includes a physical constraint that restricts storing identifiable subsets of data from files contained in a particular portion of a file system directory to storage in corresponding particular database table partitions;

wherein receiving a first query includes receiving a first query that involves the particular portion of the file system directory; and

wherein generating a second query includes generating a second query that is directed, at least in part, to one or more corresponding particular database table partitions.

11. The method of claim 1,

wherein the constraint is a logical constraint that restricts a particular set of one or more folders, from a file system directory, to containing only files associated with particular metadata;

wherein receiving a first query includes receiving a first query that involves the particular metadata; and

wherein generating a second query includes generating a second query that is directed, at least in part, to the particular set of one or more folders.

12. The method of claim 1,

wherein the constraint includes a logical constraint that restricts a particular set of one or more folders, from a file system directory, to containing only files associated with particular metadata;

wherein the constraint includes a physical constraint that restricts storing data from the files contained in the particular set of one or more folders to storage in a corresponding set of one or more particular database tables; and

wherein receiving a first query includes receiving a first query that involves the particular set of one or more folders; and

wherein generating a second query includes generating a second query that is directed, at least in part, to the corresponding set of one or more particular database tables.

13. The method of claim 1,

wherein the constraint includes a logical constraint that restricts a particular set of one or more folders, from a file system directory, to containing only files associated with particular metadata;

wherein the constraint includes a physical constraint that restricts storing data from the files contained in the particular set of one or more folders to storage in a corresponding set of one or more particular database tables; and

wherein receiving a first query includes receiving a first query that involves the particular metadata; and

wherein generating a second query includes generating a second query that is directed, at least in part, to the corresponding set of one or more particular database tables.

14. A method comprising performing a machine-executed operation involving instructions, wherein the machine-executed operation is at least one of:

A) sending the instructions over transmission media;

B) receiving the instructions over transmission media;

C) storing the instructions onto a machine-readable storage medium; and

D) executing the instructions;

wherein the instructions are instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of;

registering with a database system a constraint on a particular identifiable group of one or more files, to restrict data from the one or more files to storage in a database in one from a group consisting of (a) a particular one or more database tables, (b) a particular one or more database table partitions, and (c) a particular one or more database views;

receiving a first query on the database;

determining that performing the first query would involve data from the one or more files;

determining, based on the query and the constraint, the effect of the constraint on how the data from the one or more files is stored in the database; and

generating a second query, based on the first query and the effect of the constraint on how the data from the one or more files is stored in the database, that is directed to a particular subset of the data stored in the database.

15. The method of claim 14,

wherein the particular identifiable group of one or more files is identifiable based on with what particular set of one or more folders the group of one or more files is associated.

16. The method of claim 14,

wherein the particular identifiable group of one or more files is identifiable based on with what particular XML schema the group of one or more files is associated.

17. The method of claim 14,

wherein the particular identifiable group of one or more files is identifiable based on a particular size range within which each of the one or more files falls.

18. The method of claim 14,

wherein the particular identifiable group of one or more files is identifiable based on with what particular metadata attributes the group of one or more files is associated.