Abstract: A binary hyperspatial code (BH code) is generated for each row in a table to be partitioned. An intermediate table containing the BH codes and rowids of the original table is created within the database. The intermediate table allows for efficient database operations to be performed to determine how to partition the table without causing the data in the table to go off-line. After the desired partitions have been identified from accessing the intermediate table, the table is subdivided into the desired partitions. In one embodiment, the partitions are stored as index-organized tables index on the BH codes so that rows that are close together (as defined by the BH codes) are likely to be located in the same disk block.