Assigning resources among multiple task groups in a database system

• US 9,298,506 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teradata Corporation
• Original Assignee: Teradata US, Inc. (Teradata Corporation)
• Inventors: Rabinovici, Sorana, Joshi, Venu Gopal
• Primary Examiner(s): KENDALL, CHUCK O
• Application Number:
  US14/499,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20150113540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4881 Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5011 the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455

Abstract

A computer running a database system receives one or more queries, each query comprised of parallel threads of execution working towards the common goal of completing a user request. These threads are grouped into a schedulable object called a task group. The task groups are placed within a specific multiple tier hierarchy, and database system resources allocated to the task groups according to their placement within the hierarchy. Beginning with the top tier of the hierarchy, resources remaining after allocations to each task group within a tier are passed to the next lower tier for allocation.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for scheduling the execution of a plurality of database tasks within a database system, the method comprising the steps of:

grouping said database tasks into a plurality of task groups having different priorities to database system resources;

arranging said task groups into a hierarchy, said hierarchy comprising multiple tiers including a top level tier, a bottom level tier and at least one intermediate level tier between said top level tier and said bottom level tier, said tiers reflecting the priority of said task groups to said database system resources;

allocating a portion of said database system resources to said task groups within said top level tier, and providing a remaining portion of said database system resources not assigned to said task groups within said top level to the tier immediately below said top level tier;

for each intermediate level tier;

receiving the remaining portion of database system resources not assigned to the task groups in the tier immediately above;

assigning a portion of said database system resources received from the tier immediately above to said task groups within said each immediate level tier, and providing a remaining portion of said database system resources not assigned to said task groups within said each immediate tier to the tier immediately below said each immediate level tier;

for said bottom tier, receiving the remaining portion of database system resources not assigned to the task groups in the tier immediately above; and

assigning said database system resources received from the tier immediately above to said task groups within said bottom level tier; and

executing said database tasks in accordance with said database resource task group allocations.

2. The computer-implemented method for scheduling the execution of a plurality of database tasks within a database system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said database resources include computer processors, computer memory, computer storage devices, and input/output resources.

3. The computer-implemented method for scheduling the execution of a plurality of database tasks within a database system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said task groups comprise database tasks which contribute to a common database request.

4. The computer-implemented method for scheduling the execution of a plurality of database tasks within a database system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

task groups including database tasks comprising short requests that have to finish as quickly as possible are placed in said top level tier;

task groups including database tasks associated with a service level goal are placed in said intermediate level tiers; and

task groups including database tasks whose response time is less critical to the business and are not associated with a service level goal are placed in said bottom level tier.

5. The computer-implemented method for scheduling the execution of a plurality of database tasks within a database system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining a global allocation for each task group, said global allocation being the product of the portion of said database resources allocated to said each task group and the remaining portions of database system resources provided by each tier above said each task group.

7. The database system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said database resources include said at lease one computer processor, computer memory, said at least one computer storage device, and input/output resources.

8. The database system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said task groups comprise database tasks which contribute to a common database request.

9. The database system in accordance with claim 5, wherein:

task groups including database tasks comprising short requests that have to finish as quickly as possible are placed in said top level tier;

task groups including database tasks associated with a service level goal are placed in said intermediate level tiers; and

task groups including database tasks whose response time is less critical to the business and are not associated with a service level goal are placed in said bottom level tier.

10. The database system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said process determines a global allocation for each task group, said global allocation being the product of the portion of said database resources allocated to said each task group and the remaining portions of database system resources provided by each tier above said each task group.

6. A database system, running on a computer, the database system comprising:

at least one computer processor having access to at least one data storage device containing a database; and

a process executed by said at least one computer processor to schedule the execution of a plurality of database tasks within said database system, said process to;

group said database tasks into a plurality of task groups having different priorities to database system resources;

arrange said task groups into a hierarchy, said hierarchy comprising multiple tiers including a top level tier, a bottom level tier and at least one intermediate level tier between said top level tier and said bottom level tier, said tiers reflecting the priority of said task groups to said database system resources;

allocate a portion of said database system resources to said task groups within said top level tier, and provide a remaining portion of said database system resources not assigned to said task groups within said top level to the tier immediately below said top level tier;

for each intermediate level tier;

receive the remaining portion of database system resources not assigned to the task groups in the tier immediately above;

assign a portion of said database system resources received from the tier immediately above to said task groups within said each immediate level tier, and provide a remaining portion of said database system resources not assigned to said task groups within said each immediate tier to the tier immediately below said each immediate level tier;

for said bottom tier, receive the remaining portion of database system resources not assigned to the task groups in the tier immediately above; and

assign said database system resources received from the tier immediately above to said task groups within said bottom level tier; and

execute said database tasks in accordance with said database resource task group allocations.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program for scheduling the execution of a plurality of database tasks within a database system, the computer program including executable instructions that cause a computer to:

group said database tasks into a plurality of task groups having different priorities to database system resources;

arrange said task groups into a hierarchy, said hierarchy comprising multiple tiers including a top level tier, a bottom level tier and at least one intermediate level tier between said top level tier and said bottom level tier, said tiers reflecting the priority of said task groups to said database system resources;

allocate a portion of said database system resources to said task groups within said top level tier, and provide a remaining portion of said database system resources not assigned to said task groups within said top level to the tier immediately below said top level tier;

for each intermediate level tier;

receive the remaining portion of database system resources not assigned to the task groups in the tier immediately above;

assign a portion of said database system resources received from the tier immediately above to said task groups within said each immediate level tier, and provide a remaining portion of said database system resources not assigned to said task groups within said each immediate tier to the tier immediately below said each immediate level tier;

for said bottom tier, receive the remaining portion of database system resources not assigned to the task groups in the tier immediately above; and

assign said database system resources received from the tier immediately above to said task groups within said bottom level tier; and

execute said database tasks in accordance with said database resource task group allocations.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program for scheduling the execution of a plurality of database tasks within a database system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said database resources include said at least one computer processor, computer memory, said at least one computer storage device, and input/output resources.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program for scheduling the execution of a plurality of database tasks within a database system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said task groups comprise database tasks which contribute to a common database request.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program for scheduling the execution of a plurality of database tasks within a database system in accordance with claim 11, wherein:

task groups including database tasks comprising short requests that have to finish as quickly as possible are placed in said top level tier;

task groups including database tasks associated with a service level goal are placed in said intermediate level tiers; and

task groups including database tasks whose response time is less critical to the business and are not associated with a service level goal are placed in said bottom level tier.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer program for scheduling the execution of a plurality of database tasks within a database system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said process determines a global allocation for each task group, said global allocation being the product of the portion of said database resources allocated to said each task group and the remaining portions of database system resources provided by each tier above said each task group.