Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for improving physical lock acquisition for database transaction logs are described herein. In an embodiment, the method operates by receiving a request for a transaction log page and determining whether a requested log page is newly-allocated or already exists. A determination is made regarding whether the last log page is being modified. A physical lock is taken on the requested log page when it has been determined that the requested log page is not newly-allocated and that the last log page is not being modified. Operations on the last log page are synchronized without a physical lock when it is determined that the requested log page is newly-allocated or that the last log page is being modified.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for improving physical lock acquisition for database transaction logs are described herein. In an embodiment, the method operates by receiving a request for a transaction log page and determining whether a requested log page is newly-allocated or already exists. A determination is made regarding whether the last log page is being modified. A physical lock is taken on the requested log page when it has been determined that the requested log page is not newly-allocated and that the last log page is not being modified. Operations on the last log page are synchronized without a physical lock when it is determined that the requested log page is newly-allocated or that the last log page is being modified.

Abstract: A database system providing methodology for extended memory support is described. In one embodiment, for example, a method is described for extended memory support in a database system having a primary cache, the method comprises steps of: creating a secondary cache in memory available to the database system; mapping a virtual address range to at least a portion of the secondary cache; when the primary cache is full, replacing pages from the primary cache using the secondary cache; in response to a request for a particular page, searching for the particular page in the secondary cache if the particular page is not found in the primary cache; if the particular page is found in the secondary cache, determining a virtual address in the secondary cache where the particular page resides based on the mapping; and swapping the particular page found in the secondary cache with a page in the primary cache, so as to replace a page in the primary cache with the particular page from the secondary cache.

Abstract: A database system providing methodology for extended memory support is described. In one embodiment, for example, a method is described for extended memory support in a database system having a primary cache, the method comprises steps of: creating a secondary cache in memory available to the database system; mapping a virtual address range to at least a portion of the secondary cache; when the primary cache is full, replacing pages from the primary cache using the secondary cache; in response to a request for a particular page, searching for the particular page in the secondary cache if the particular page is not found in the primary cache; if the particular page is found in the secondary cache, determining a virtual address in the secondary cache where the particular page resides based on the mapping; and swapping the particular page found in the secondary cache with a page in the primary cache, so as to replace a page in the primary cache with the particular page from the secondary cache.

Abstract: A system providing methods enabling data in Extensible Markup Language (“XML”) format to be extracted, transformed and stored in a database, file system or main memory is described. The extraction and transformation process is generalized and can be used on various types of XML data, enabling XML data to be stored and queried using standard database query methodologies. The system includes parse-time functionality to transform XML documents into a structure having an interface that enables efficient access to the underlying data. The system also includes query execution-time functionality providing greater efficiency by bringing only the relevant portions of transformed XML data into memory in response to a query. The system parses and translates queries into a structure that can be executed without the need to write custom application-specific navigation code to search XML data. The system also enables original XML documents (or portions thereof) to be recomposed when required.

Abstract: A database system providing improved methods for asynchronous logging of transactions is described. Log records are created describing changes to a database made by a transaction. When a command committing changes to the database for the transaction is received, a logging request is placed in a queue. An asynchronous logging service removes requests from the queue and transfers log records from the transaction to a shared cache. The shared cache stores log records before they are written to the transaction log. The logging service writes log pages containing log records for the transaction from the cache to the transaction log. After all log pages in the cache for the transaction have been written to the transaction log, changes to the database made by the transaction can be committed to the database.

Abstract: A database system providing improved methods for asynchronous logging of transactions is described. Log records are created describing changes to a database made by a transaction. When a command committing changes to the database for the transaction is received, a logging request is placed in a queue. An asynchronous logging service removes requests from the queue and transfers log records from the transaction to a shared cache. The shared cache stores log records before they are written to the transaction log. The logging service writes log pages containing log records for the transaction from the cache to the transaction log. After all log pages in the cache for the transaction have been written to the transaction log, changes to the database made by the transaction can be committed to the database.

Abstract: A system providing methods enabling data in Extensible Markup Language (“XML”) format to be extracted, transformed and stored in a database, file system or main memory is described. The extraction and transformation process is generalized and can be used on various types of XML data, enabling XML data to be stored and queried using standard database query methodologies. The system includes parse-time functionality to transform XML documents into a structure having an interface that enables efficient access to the underlying data. The system also includes query execution-time functionality providing greater efficiency by bringing only the relevant portions of transformed XML data into memory in response to a query. The system parses and translates queries into a structure that can be executed without the need to write custom application-specific navigation code to search XML data. The system also enables original XML documents (or portions thereof) to be recomposed when required.