Database management system, and query method and query execution program in the database management system

• US 6,925,462 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2002
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hirohata, Kiyomi, Yamahira, Kohsaku, Nishikawa, Norifumi, Shimazaki, Koichi, Inohara, Shigekazu, Hayashi, Shigetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kindred, Alford W.
• Application Number:
  US10/041,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20020116373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 5, 707/10, 707/100, 707/102, 707/104.1, 707/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• 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

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optimization method in a database management system having the function of accessing external databases. Conventionally, whether functions contained in a query can be executed in external databases depends on a database management system having the functions, and therefore there has been a problem in that a database utilization method cannot apply to query optimization and query execution performance is reduced. To solve the above problem, a database management system having the function of accessing external databases is provided with an optimization step comprising the steps of: obtaining specification about whether to execute functions in a query in external databases; determining whether data referred to in a query is confined to one database; and determining whether a user specifies that the functions in the query are executed in external databases.

Claims

1. A database management system having the function of accessing one or more external databases, comprising:

a means for specifying whether functions in a query sent from a user are executed in external databases; and

a means for determining whether data referred to in said query sent from the user can be processed by access to one external database,

wherein, when it is determined that all functions referred to in said query can be processed by access to said one external database and the user specifies execution in said one external database, said query is processed in said one external database, and when it is determined that all functions referred to in said query cannot be processed by access to said one external database, then after ones of said functions contained in said query specified to be executed in said one external database are executed, others of said functions in said query not executable in said one external database are executed in an internal database after getting an executed result into said internal database from said one external database.

2. A query method in a database management system having the function of accessing one or more external databases, the method including the steps of:

(a) obtaining specification about whether functions in a query sent from a user are executed in external databases;

(b) determining whether said functions referred to in said query are executable by access to one external database and are specified by said user to be executed in said one external database;

(c) creating an access procedure for processing said query in said one external database if it is determined that said functions referred to in said query are executable by access to said one external database and are specified by said user; and

(d) creating an access procedure for processing for execution of some of the functions in said query which cannot be processed in said one external database in an internal database within said database management system if it is determined that said functions referred to in said query are not executable by access to said one external database.

3. The query method in the database management system according to claim 2, including the steps of:

if a query is confined to said one database and the user specifies that all functions in said query are processed in said one external database, creating an access procedure for processing said query in said one external database; and

if the user specifies that functions in said query are not executed in said one external database, creating an access procedure for executing said functions in a database within said database management system having the function of accessing external databases.

4. The query method in the database management system according to claim 2, including the step of defining whether functions in a query can be executed in external databases, for each of types of database management systems managing external databases.

5. The query method in the database management system according to claim 2, wherein the step of the user defining whether functions in said query are executed in external databases includes the step of:

defining whether functions in a query can be executed in external databases, for each of types and versions of database management systems managing external databases.

6. A query execution program in a database management system having the function of accessing one or more external databases, the query execution program executing the procedures for:

obtaining specification about whether functions in a query sent from a user are executed in external databases;

(b) determining whether said functions referred to in said query are executable by access to one external database and are specified by said user to be executed in said one external database,

(c) creating an access procedure for processing said query in said one external database if it is determined that said functions referred to in said query are executable by access to one external database and are specified by said user to be executed in said one external database, and

(d) creating an access procedure for processing for execution of some of the functions in said query which cannot be processed in said one external database in an internal database within said database management system if it is determined that said functions referred to in said query are not executable by access to one external database.

7. The query execution program in the database management system according to claim 6, the query execution program executing the procedures for:

if a query is confined to said one database and the user specifies that all functions in said query are processed in said one external database, creating an access procedure for processing said query in said one external database; and

if the user specifies that functions in said query are not executed in said one external database, creating an access procedure for executing said functions in a database within said database management system having the function of accessing external databases.