DISTRIBUTIVE STORAGE TECHNIQUES FOR MULTI-TENANT DATABASES

• US 20100211619A1
• Filed: 04/14/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Weissman, Craig, Nakada, Paul, Wong, Simon, Moellenhoff, Dave
• Granted Patent: US 8,131,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/812
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2453 Query optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2462 Approximate or statistical queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• 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 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

The present invention provides techniques for managing information on a multi-tenant database system. In one embodiment a method comprises storing the information on the database among a plurality of tables. The plurality of tables is arranged in columns and rows. Each of a subset of the plurality of tables has sets of the rows distributed amongst different storage nodes on the database. A first of the sets is located at a first node, and a second of the sets is located a second node. Data storage and retrieval capabilities are provided to the database, including access to the information, in response to requests from one of a plurality of remotely disposed computer systems. Also disclosed is a machine-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for managing computer applications when executed by one or more processors and cause the one or more processors to carry out steps of the method. A data center for managing information on a multi-tenant database is also disclosed that carries-out the functions of the method.

Claims

1. A method for managing information on a multi-tenant database system, the method comprising:

storing the information on the database among a plurality of tables, the plurality of tables being arranged in columns and rows;

for each of a subset of the plurality of tables, distributing sets of the rows amongst different storage nodes on the database, with a first of the sets being located at a first node and a second of the sets being located a second node; and

providing data storage and retrieval capabilities to the database, including access to the information, in response to requests from one of a plurality of remotely disposed computer systems.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein distributing further includes establishing the rows located at the first storage node to have a first common index and establishing the rows located at the second storage node to have a second common index.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein distributing further includes establishing the rows located at the first storage node to have a first common index and establishing the rows located at the second storage node to have a second common index that is different from the first common index.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein distributing further includes establishing the rows located at the first storage node to include user-level metadata, and establishing the rows located at the second storage node to include tenant-level metadata.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein distributing further includes establishing the first and second storage nodes on a common tenant database.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein distributing further includes establishing the rows located at the first storage node as a table consisting essentially of user-level metadata, and establishing the rows located at the second storage node as a table consisting essentially of tenant-level metadata.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 further including restricting a subgroup of the plurality of second computer systems to access information corresponding to the rows located at the first node, while preventing access to information corresponding to the rows located at the second node.

8. A machine-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for managing information on a multi-tenant database when executed by one or more processors and cause the one or more processors to carry out steps of:

storing the information on the database among a plurality of tables, the plurality of tables being arranged in columns and rows;

for each of a subset of the plurality of tables, distributing sets of the rows amongst different storage nodes on the database, with a first of the sets being located at a first node and a second of the sets being located a second node; and

providing data storage and retrieval capabilities to the database, including access to the information, in response to requests from one of a plurality of remotely disposed computer systems.

9. The machine readable medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions to carry out the step of distributing further includes instructions to carry out a step of establishing the rows located at the first storage node to have a first common index and establishing the rows located at the second storage node to have a second common index.

10. The machine readable medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions to carry out the step of distributing further includes instructions to carry out a step of establishing the rows located at the first storage node to have a first common index and establishing the rows located at the second storage node to have a second common index that is different from the first common index.

11. The machine readable medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions to carry out the step of distributing further includes instructions to carry out a step of establishing the rows located at the first storage node to include user-level metadata, and establishing the rows located at the second storage node to include tenant-level metadata.

12. The machine readable medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions to carry out the step of distributing further includes instructions to carry out a step of establishing the first and second storage nodes on a common tenant database.

13. The machine readable medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions to carry out the step of distributing further includes instructions to carry out a step of establishing the rows located at the first storage node as a table consisting essentially of user-level metadata, and establishing the rows located at the second storage node as a table consisting essentially of tenant-level metadata.

14. The machine readable medium of claim 8 further including a step of restricting a subgroup of the plurality of second computer systems to access information corresponding to the rows located at the first node, while preventing access to information corresponding to the rows located at the second node.

15. A data center for managing information on a multi-tenant database, the data center comprising:

a processor; and

a memory space having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to carry out the steps of;

storing the information on the database among a plurality of tables, the plurality of tables being arranged in columns and rows;

for each of a subset of the plurality of tables, distributing sets of the rows amongst different storage nodes on the database, with a first of the sets being located at a first node and a second of the sets being located a second node; and

providing data storage and retrieval capabilities to the database, including access to the information, in response to requests from one of a plurality of remotely disposed computer systems.

16. The data center as recited in claim 15 wherein said sequence of instructions to carry of the step of distributing further includes a sub-routine to carry out a step of establishing the rows located at the first storage node to have a first common index and establishing the rows located at the second storage node to have a second common index.

17. The data center as recited in claim 15 wherein said sequence of instructions to carry of the step of distributing further includes a sub-routine to carry out a step of establishing the rows located at the first storage node to have a first common index and establishing the rows located at the second storage node to have a second common index that is different from the first common index.

18. The data center as recited in claim 15 wherein said sequence of instructions to carry of the step of distributing further includes a sub-routine to carry out a step of establishing the rows located at the first storage node to include user-level metadata, and establishing the rows located at the second storage node to include tenant-level metadata.

19. The data center as recited in claim 15 wherein said sequence of instructions to carry of the step of distributing further includes a sub-routine to carry out a step of establishing the first and second storage nodes on a common tenant database.

20. The data center as recited in claim 15 wherein said sequence of instructions to carry of the step of distributing further includes a sub-routine to carry out a step of establishing the rows located at the first storage node as a table consisting essentially of user-level metadata, and establishing the rows located at the second storage node as a table consisting essentially of tenant-level metadata.