Mapping binary objects in extended relational database management systems with relational registry

• US 6,502,086 B2
• Filed: 01/04/1999
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pratt, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tam V
• Application Number:
  US09/225,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/205, 707/1, 707/2, 707/101.1, 707/201, 340/172.5, 703/103, 600/508
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2219 Large Object storage; Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

An automated data processing system includes a relational database engine, storage devices having a database table, registry and binary large objects created and updated by the relational database engine and a user defined function engine retrieving data elements stored in the binary large objects. The registry includes data element classifications. The database table includes relational information of the data elements, the data element classifications and pointers to the binary large objects, and the relational database engine creates and updates the binary large objects based on the database table and the registry.

Claims

1. An automated data processing system comprising:

a relational database engine;

at least one storage device including a database table, retisry and a data object consisting of at least one binary large object created and updated by said relational database engine, wherein said binary large objects only contain data and are devoid of header, indexing and addressing information; and

a user-defined function engine retrieving at least one data element stored in said at least one binary large object,

said registry including data element classifications,

said database table including relational information of said at least one data element, said data element classifications and pointers to said at least one binary large object,

said relational database engine creating and updating said at least one binary large object based on said database table and said registry;

said database table having a current structure; and

said system being dynamically extended by expanding a size of at least one of said at least one binary large object and maintaining said current structure of said database table.

2. The system in claim 1, wherein said binary large object comprises an aggregate object having a plurality of similar data elements.

3. The system in claim 1, wherein said binary large object comprises a composite object having a plurality of dissimilar data elements.

4. The system in claim 1, wherein said at least one binary large object have distinctive sizes based on corresponding ones of said at least one data element.

5. The system in claim 4, wherein said data element classification includes said distinctive sizes.

6. The system in claim 1, wherein said database table has a current structure,

said system being dynamically extended by defining additional data element classifications and maintaining said current structure of said database table.

7. The system in claim 1, wherein said system comprises a distributed network and said storage device comprises a plurality of network servers,

said distributed network including a data director for routing said at least one data element and user requests.

8. A method of organizing data elements in a relational database, said method comprising:

storing relational information about said data elements and data element classifications in a database table;

defining said data element classifications in a registry;

storing said data elements in objects separate from said database table and said registry, wherein said objects only contain data and are devoid of header, indexing and addressing information;

wherein said objects consist of at least one binary large object created and updated by a relational database engine; and

including pointers to said objects in said database table;

wherein said database table has a current structure, and said method further comprises dynamically extending said relational database by expanding a size of at least one of said at least one binary large object and maintaining said current suture of said database table.

9. The method in claim 8, wherein said storing of said data elements comprises storing said data elements as aggregate objects having a plurality of similar data elements.

10. The method in claim 8, wherein said storing of said data elements comprises storing said data elements as composite objects having a plurality of dissimilar data elements.

11. The method in claim 8, further comprising forming said objects to have distinctive sizes based on corresponding sizes of said data elements.

12. The method in claim 11, further comprising storing said distinctive sizes in said registry.

13. The method in claim 8, wherein said database table has a current structure, said method further comprising dynamically extending said relational database by defining additional data element classifications and maintaining said current structure of said database table.

14. A relational database management system comprising:

at least one object storing at least one data element, wherein said object only contain data and is devoid of header, indexing and addressing information, wherein sad object consists of at least one binary large object created and updated by said relational engine;

a database table storing relational information of said data element and at least one pointer to said at least one object said database table lacking said data element; and

a registry having information about data element classification and data element location;

wherein said database table has a current suture, and

wherein said system is dynamically extended by expanding a size of at least one of said at least one binary large object and maintaining said current structure of said database table.

15. The system in claim 14, wherein said object comprises an aggregate object storing a plurality of similar data elements.

16. The system in claim 14, wherein said object comprises a composite object storing a plurality of dissimilar data elements.

17. The system in claim 14, wherein said at least one object have distinctive sizes based on corresponding ones of said at least one data element.

18. The system in claim 17, wherein said data element classification includes said distinctive sizes.

19. The system in claim 14, wherein said database table has a current structure,

said system being dynamically extended by defining additional data element classifications and maintaining said current structure of said database table.

20. The system in claim 14, wherein said system comprises a distributed network having a plurality of network servers and a data director for routing said data element and user requests.

21. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for organizing data elements in a relational database, said method comprising:

storing relational information about said data elements and data element classifications in a database table;

defining said data element classifications in a registry;

storing said data elements in objects separate from said database table and said regist, wherein said objects only contain data and are devoid of header, indexing and addressing information;

wherein said objects consist of at least one binary large object created and updated by a reladonal database engine; and

including pointers to said objects in said database table;

wherein said database table has a current structure, and said method further comprises dynamically extending said realational database by expanding a size of at least one of said at least one binary large object and maintaining said current structure of said database table.

22. The program storage device in claim 21, wherein said storing of said data elements comprises storing said data elements as aggregate objects having a plurality of similar data elements.

23. The program storage device in claim 21, wherein said storing of said data elements comprises storing said data elements as composite objects having a plurality of dissimilar data elements.

24. The program storage device in claim 21, wherein said method further comprises forming said objects to have distinctive sizes based on corresponding sizes of said data elements.

25. The program storage device in claim 24, wherein said method further comprises storing said distinctive sizes in said registry.

26. The program storage device in claim 21, wherein said database table has a current structure, said method further comprising dynamically extending said relational database by defining additional data element classifications and maintaining said current structure of said database table.