Abstract: Some embodiments provide a non-transitory machine-readable medium that stores a program. The program receives a request to create a file for storing data from a table that includes a plurality of rows. The program further divides the plurality of rows into a plurality of blocks of rows. For each column of each block of rows, the program also encodes the data in the column of the block of rows based on the type of data stored in the column and stores the encoded data in the file as a separate page of data. The program further generates a set of column metadata for the set of columns. The program also stores each column metadata in the file as a separate page of data. The program further generates a header page. The program also stores the header page in the file as a separate page of data.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a program that receives a query for records in a table having a value in a column of the table that is included in a set of values. The program further iterates though a hierarchical tree structure in order to identify a set of leaf nodes of the hierarchical tree structure based on the set of values. Each leaf node in the hierarchical tree structure includes data describing a superset of values in the column of the block of records associated with the leaf node. Each non-leaf node includes data describing a superset of the values described by the data in child nodes of the non-leaf node. The program also processes the query on a set of block of records in the table associated with the set of leaf nodes. The program further generates results for the query based on the processing.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a program that receives a query for records in a table having a value in a column of the table that is included in a set of values. The program further iterates though a hierarchical tree structure in order to identify a set of leaf nodes of the hierarchical tree structure based on the set of values. Each leaf node in the hierarchical tree structure includes data describing a superset of values in the column of the block of records associated with the leaf node. Each non-leaf node includes data describing a superset of the values described by the data in child nodes of the non-leaf node. The program also processes the query on a set of block of records in the table associated with the set of leaf nodes. The program further generates results for the query based on the processing.