Abstract: Techniques for precedence based storage are presented. Storage for a database is organized into storage pools; collections of pools form storage classes. The storage pools within a particular class are organized in a precedence-based order so that when storage for the database is needed, the storage pools are used in the defined order of precedence. Additionally, each storage pool or storage class can be circumscribed by security limitations, quality of service limitations, and/or backup procedures.

Abstract: There is provided a method, a system and a machine readable medium to optimize storage allocation in a database management system. The method comprises receiving a processing step at a step processing module of an access module processor from a dispatcher module. The method further comprises determining whether a fast access storage flag is set in the processing step, the fast access storage flag indicating use of an intermediate file in fast access storage to store one or more redistributed data rows of a table of a database that is distributed across one or more storage devices of the database management system; Yet further the method comprises selectively allocating a free fast access storage data block to the intermediate file from a fast access storage pool based on the determination that the fast access storage flag is set. Lastly, the method comprises writing a redistributed data row from the one or more redistributed data rows to the allocated fast access storage data block.

Abstract: A method, computer program, and database system for controlling operations that may be performed on a user-defined type (UDT) are disclosed. The UDT is derived from an underlying type that has a set of underlying operations. The method includes creating the UDT and activating zero or more underlying operations for the UDT.

Abstract: A method and computer program for providing a database system native operation for a data element which has a user defined data type (UDT). The method and computer program include assigning a data type, which is supported by the database system native operation, to an alias. The method and computer program further include processing the data element to produce the alias, linking the alias to the data element, and performing the database system native operation using the alias.