Computer program product for avoiding complete index tree traversals in sequential and almost sequential index probes
First Claim
1. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for avoiding a root-to-leaf traversal of an index tree having leaf and parent pages, said method steps comprising:
- a. storing page descriptive information in a LAST information field and a PARENT information field of an index lookaside buffer, said LAST information field identifying the most recent leaf page accessed during an index probe and said PARENT information field identifying a parent node of the most recent leaf page accessed during an index probe;
b. determining if a search key is located within the leaf page described by said LAST information field; and
c. determining if said search key is located within one of the leaf pages pointed to by the parent page described in said PARENT information field.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a system and method for utilizing the proximity of keys in sequential or near sequential index probes to avoid complete index tree traversal. Page information from three pages (LAST, PARENT and NEXT) are stored in separate information fields within an Index Lookaside Buffer. The LAST information field contains information on the most recent leaf page accessed during an index probe in a read key or an insert key operation, the PARENT information field contains information on the parent page of the most recently accessed leaf page described in the LAST information field, and the NEXT information field contains information on the most recent leaf page accessed during a fetch-next key or delete key operation. On a subsequent index probe, the LAST, NEXT and PARENT information fields are sequentially analyzed to determine if the search key is contained within the leaf page described by the LAST or NEXT information fields or if the search key is contained within one of the leaf pages pointed to by the parent page described by the PARENT information field. If none of the LAST, NEXT or PARENT information fields identify the leaf page containing the search key then the default root-to-leaf traversal would commence.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for avoiding a root-to-leaf traversal of an index tree having leaf and parent pages, said method steps comprising:
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a. storing page descriptive information in a LAST information field and a PARENT information field of an index lookaside buffer, said LAST information field identifying the most recent leaf page accessed during an index probe and said PARENT information field identifying a parent node of the most recent leaf page accessed during an index probe; b. determining if a search key is located within the leaf page described by said LAST information field; and c. determining if said search key is located within one of the leaf pages pointed to by the parent page described in said PARENT information field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for avoiding a root-to-leaf traversal of an index tree having leaf and parent pages, said method steps comprising:
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a. storing page information in a LAST information field, a PARENT information field and a NEXT information field of an index lookaside buffer, said LAST information field identifying the most recent leaf page accessed during an index probe in a read-key or an insert-key operation, said PARENT information field identifying the parent page of the leaf page described in said LAST information field and said NEXT information field identifying the most recent leaf page accessed during an index probe in a fetch-next-key or delete-key operation; b. determining if a search key is located within the leaf page described by said LAST information field; c. determining if said search key is located within the leaf page described by said NEXT information field; and d. determining if said search key is located within one of the leaf pages pointed to by the parent page described in said PARENT information field. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer program product for use with a computer system, comprising:
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a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing the computer system to avoid root-to-leaf traversal of an index tree having leaf and parent pages, said computer readable program code means including, first computer readable program code means for causing said computer system to effect a storage of page descriptive information in a LAST information field and a PARENT information field of an index lookaside buffer, said LAST information field identifying the most recent leaf page accessed during an index probe and said PARENT information field identifying the parent page of the most recent leaf page accessed during an index probe; and second computer readable program code means for causing said computer system to effect a determination of whether a search key is located within one of the leaf pages described by said page descriptive information within said LAST information field or within one of the leaf pages pointed to by the parent page described by said PARENT information field. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer program product for use with a computer system, comprising:
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a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing the computer system to avoid root-to-leaf traversal of an index tree having leaf and parent pages, said computer readable program code means including, first computer readable program code means for causing said computer system to store page descriptive information in a LAST information field, a PARENT information field and a NEXT information field of an index lookaside buffer, said LAST information field identifying the most recent leaf page accessed during an index probe in a read-key or an insert-key operation, said PARENT information field identifying the parent page of the leaf page described in said LAST information field and said NEXT information field identifying the most recent leaf page accessed during an index probe in a fetch-next-key or delete-key operation; and second computer readable program code means for causing said computer system to determine whether a search key is located within one of the leaf pages described by said LAST information field and said NEXT information field or is located within one of the leaf pages pointed to by the parent page described in said PARENT information field. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification