Updating indexing tables in a database system

• US 8,095,535 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Robson, Christine M., Watanabe, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOCKER, JOHN P
• Application Number:
  US12/480,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20090287662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 707/725, 707/723, 707 1- 10, 707999001-99901
• US Class Current: 707/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2272 Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Updating an indexing tables in a database system comprising a database storing item tables of items appended by timestamps. Each of items is further categorized by timestamp into said tables, and said item tables being indexed by indexing data. The database system further comprises an indexing table for said indexing data, listing the earliest timestamp of said item table together with said indexing data and a system manager for searching said item tables using said indexing table and a maintenance module for said indexing table.

Claims

1. A database system for searching items stored in a database, said database system comprising:

a computer processor for storing items in the database;

the database storing item tables of items appended by timestamps, said items each being categorized by timestamp into said tables, and said item tables being indexed by indexing data;

an indexing table for said indexing data, listing the earliest timestamp of said item tables together with said indexing data;

a system manager for searching said item tables using said indexing table;

a maintenance module for said indexing table, said maintenance module comprising a monitor tool for monitoring said item tables and updating said indexing table to maintain a correlation between said item tables and said indexing table, wherein;

said monitor tool invokes from said item tables with said indexing data the item with the newest timestamp together with said indexing data and examines said correlation of said indexing table using said invoked timestamp and said indexing data as examination keys;

said database system includes a repair tool for repairing said indexing table;

said repair tool appends records to said indexing table in response to results of said examination of said monitor tool according to said timestamp and said indexing data;

the insert sequence of the corresponding parts table id is determined for use in appending of the records in the indexing table; and

said monitor tool updates the indexing table upon the creation of a new parts table.

2. The database system of claim 1 including a binary search tool employed by said repair tool and configured to find a next item after a time of a previous item.

3. A computer program product for a database search method, including:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to store item tables of items appended by timestamps in a database, said items each being categorized by timestamp into said tables, and said item tables being indexed by indexing data;

computer readable program code configured to store an indexing table for said indexing data, listing the earliest timestamp of said item table together with said indexing data; and

computer readable program code configured to search said item tables referring to said indexing table, said indexing table being repaired with respect to time evolution by a maintenance module,

said maintenance module including computer readable program code configured to monitor a correlation between said item tables and said indexing table, invoking from said item tables said newest timestamp together with said indexing data, and

said maintenance module including computer readable program code configured to examine said correlation of said indexing table using said invoked timestamp and said indexing data as examination keys.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, including computer readable program code configured to append records to said indexing table in response to results of said examination of said monitor tool according to said timestamp and said indexing data;

wherein;

each item table is divided into item subtables;

the item subtables are indexed;

said maintenance module includes computer readable program code configured to update the indexing table only upon the creation of a new parts table; and

said maintenance module includes computer readable program code configured to index the new parts table within the indexing table.

5. The computer program product of claim 3, including computer readable program code configured to perform a binary search using modules shared with said repairing step.