SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AN EFFICIENT DATABASE STORAGE MODEL BASED ON SPARSE FILES

摘要

Embodiments are provided herein for an efficient database storage model, which utilizes sparse file features to efficiently store and retrieve data. The embodiments provide database algorithms that utilize the file system abstraction layer to hide the complexity of managing disk space while providing the database a linear and contiguous logical address space for holding multiple database objects. An embodiment method includes pre-allocating, in a logical sparse file, a plurality of segments fixed in size and contiguous at fixed offsets. Upon receiving a command to write database objects to the segments, the database objects are mapped to the segments in a database catalog. The method further includes interfacing with a file system to initialize storage medium space for writing the data objects to the segments at the fixed offsets.