Patents by Inventor Volker Gerhard Markl

Volker Gerhard Markl has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8812481
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for managing database statistics are provided. The method, system, and computer program product provide for receiving a query for optimizing, collecting statistics specific to the query prior to generating any access plans for executing the query, and generating an access plan for executing the query based on the collected statistics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Calisto Paul Zuzarte, Volker Gerhard Markl, Wing Yan Lau, Ihab Ilyas, Amr El-Helw
  • Patent number: 8140490
    Abstract: There is disclosed a data processing system implemented method, a data processing system, and an article of manufacture for directing a data processing system to maintain a database table associated with an initial maintenance scheduling interval. The data processing system implemented method includes selecting a randomizing factor, and selecting a new maintenance scheduling interval for the database table based on the initial maintenance scheduling interval and the selected randomizing factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ashraf Ismail Aboulnaga, Peter Jay Haas, Sam Sampson Lightstone, Volker Gerhard Markl, Ivan Popivanov, Vijayshankar Raman
  • Patent number: 8135701
    Abstract: A method for consistent selectivity estimation based on the principle of maximum entropy (ME) is provided. The method efficiently exploits all available information and avoids the bias problem. In the absence of detailed knowledge, the ME approach reduces to standard uniformity and independence assumptions. The disclosed method, based on the principle of ME, is used to improve the optimizer's cardinality estimates by orders of magnitude, resulting in better plan quality and significantly reduced query execution times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marcel Kutsch, Volker Gerhard Markl, Nimrod Megiddo, Tam Minh Dai Tran
  • Patent number: 7987178
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically determining optimization frequencies of queries having one or more parameter markers. Execution plans for a query are generated and each plan is associated with one or more bind value sets. An optimization frequency is selected based on differences between pairs of execution costs where one execution cost of a pair is a cost of executing the query with a bind value set via a first execution plan and the other execution cost of the pair is a cost of optimally executing the query with the bind value set via a second execution plan. The differences are based on maximum selectivity or cardinality distances associated with the bind value sets. If none of the differences exceeds a predefined value, the query is optimized once. If at least one of the differences exceeds the predefined value, the query is reoptimized each time the query is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Fabian Hueske, Volker Gerhard Markl
  • Patent number: 7958113
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically and adaptively determining query execution plans for parametric queries. A first classifier trained by an initial set of training points is generated. A query workload and/or database statistics are dynamically updated. A new set of training points is collected off-line. Using the new set of training points, the first classifier is modified into a second classifier. A database query is received at a runtime subsequent to the off-line phase. The query includes predicates having parameter markers bound to actual values. The predicates are associated with selectivities. A mapping of the selectivities into a plan determines the query execution plan. The determined query execution plan is included in an augmented set of training points, where the augmented set includes the initial set and the new set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wei Fan, Guy Maring Lohman, Volker Gerhard Markl, Nimrod Megiddo, Jun Rao, David Everett Simmen, Julia Stoyanovich
  • Patent number: 7877381
    Abstract: A way for progressively refining a query execution plan during query execution in a federated data system is provided. Re-optimization constraints are placed in the query execution plan during query compilation. When a re-optimization constraint is violated during query execution, a model of the query execution plan is refined using a partially executed query to form a new query execution plan. The new query execution plan is compiled. The compiled new query execution plan is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephan Eberhard Ewen, Holger Kache, Volker Gerhard Markl, Vijayshankar Raman
  • Patent number: 7774336
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for executing a predetermined query plan, the method comprising: executing a portion of the query plan; providing a reordered query plan; comparing ranking metrics for the query plans; and executing the query plan having the lower ranking metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Scott Beyer, Latha Sankar Colby, Quanzhong Li, Guy Maring Lohman, Volker Gerhard Markl, Minglong Shao
  • Patent number: 7765200
    Abstract: A method and system for query problem determination have been disclosed. The method includes receiving a database query; creating a query execution plan for the database query comprising a plurality of query plan operators; and executing the query execution plan, wherein a progress indicator is displayed for each query plan operator. The system includes a query progress monitor, which collects progress information for each query plan operator during the execution of the query execution plan. This progress information is then communicated to a query progress visualizer and a query progress analyzer, which graphically displays the progress information as a progress indicator for each query plan operator and performs debugger type operations, respectively. In this manner, information concerning the progress of the query execution is provided at a query operator level, such that the information may be used to more efficiently debug any problems with the query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mokhtar Kandil, Volker Gerhard Markl
  • Patent number: 7725461
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system for managing statistical views in a database system are provided. The method, computer program product, and system provide for collecting data relating to optimization and execution of a workload in the database system and automatically generating a set of one or more statistical views based on the collected optimization and execution data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mokhtar Kandil, Alberto Lerner, Volker Gerhard Markl, Daniele Costante Zilio, Calisto Paul Zuzarte
  • Patent number: 7610264
    Abstract: A method and system for accelerating execution of a query on a federated database system. The federated database system is associated with an external data source, which is used by the query. The query is performed based upon a query execution plan. The method and system include generating an optimizer query for the external data source utilized by the query. The optimizer query is based on the query and obtains data related to the external data source. The method and system further include providing the optimizer query to the external data source and collecting at least one resultant from the optimizer query for use in generating a future query execution plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephan Eberhard Ewen, Volker Gerhard Markl, Michael Ortega-Binderberger
  • Patent number: 7512629
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of selectivity estimation in which preprocessing steps improve the feasibility and efficiency of the estimation. The preprocessing steps are partitioning (to make iterative scaling estimation terminate in a reasonable time for even large sets of predicates), forced partitioning (to enable partitioning in case there are no “natural” partitions, by finding the subsets of predicates to create partitions that least impact the overall solution); inconsistency resolution (in order to ensure that there always is a correct and feasible solution), and implied zero elimination (to ensure convergence of the iterative scaling computation under all circumstances). All of these preprocessing steps make a maximum entropy method of selectivity estimation produce a correct cardinality model, for any kind of query with conjuncts of predicates. In addition, the preprocessing steps can also be used in conjunction with prior art methods for building a cardinality model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Jay Haas, Marcel Kutsch, Volker Gerhard Markl, Nimrod Megiddo
  • Patent number: 7512574
    Abstract: A novel method is employed for collecting optimizer statistics for optimizing database queries by gathering feedback from the query execution engine about the observed cardinality of predicates and constructing and maintaining multidimensional histograms. This makes use of the correlation between data columns without employing an inefficient data scan. The maximum entropy principle is used to approximate the true data distribution by a histogram distribution that is as “simple” as possible while being consistent with the observed predicate cardinalities. Changes in the underlying data are readily adapted to, automatically detecting and eliminating inconsistent feedback information in an efficient manner. The size of the histogram is controlled by retaining only the most “important” feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Jay Haas, Volker Gerhard Markl, Nimrod Megiddo, Utkarsh Srivastava
  • Publication number: 20090070313
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for executing a predetermined query plan, the method comprising: executing a portion of the query plan; providing a reordered query plan; comparing ranking metrics for the query plans; and executing the query plan having the lower ranking metric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Kevin Scott Beyer, Latha Sankar Colby, Quanzhong Li, Guy Maring Lohman, Volker Gerhard Markl, Minglong Shao
  • Patent number: 7490110
    Abstract: A method for predictable query execution through early materialization is provided. The method deals with the problem of cardinality misestimation in query execution plans, by pre-executing sub-plans on a query execution plan that have questionable estimates and collecting statistics on the output of these sub-plans. If needed, the overall query execution plan is changed in light of these statistics, before optimizing and executing the remainder of the query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephan Eberhard Ewen, Holger Kache, Guy Maring Lohman, Volker Gerhard Markl, Vijayshankar Raman
  • Publication number: 20090018992
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for managing database statistics are provided. The method, system, and computer program product provide for receiving a query for optimizing, collecting statistics specific to the query prior to generating any access plans for executing the query, and generating an access plan for executing the query based on the collected statistics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: IBM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Calisto Paul ZUZARTE, Volker Gerhard MARKL, Wing Yan LAU, Ihab ILYAS, Amr EL-HELW
  • Publication number: 20080228831
    Abstract: There is disclosed a data processing system implemented method, a data processing system, and an article of manufacture for directing a data processing system to maintain a database table associated with an initial maintenance scheduling interval. The data processing system implemented method includes selecting a randomizing factor, and selecting a new maintenance scheduling interval for the database table based on the initial maintenance scheduling interval and the selected randomizing factor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES
    Inventors: Ashraf Ismail Aboulnaga, Peter Jay Haas, Sam Sampson Lightstone, Volker Gerhard Markl, Ivan Popivanov, Vijayshankar Raman
  • Publication number: 20080222093
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically and adaptively determining query execution plans for parametric queries. A first classifier trained by an initial set of training points is generated. A query workload and/or database statistics are dynamically updated. A new set of training points is collected off-line. Using the new set of training points, the first classifier is modified into a second classifier. A database query is received at a runtime subsequent to the off-line phase. The query includes predicates having parameter markers bound to actual values. The predicates are associated with selectivities. A mapping of the selectivities into a plan determines the query execution plan. The determined query execution plan is included in an augmented set of training points, where the augmented set includes the initial set and the new set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: Wei Fan, Guy Maring Lohman, Volker Gerhard Markl, Nimrod Megiddo, Jun Rao, David Everett Simmen, Julia Stoyanovich
  • Publication number: 20080222092
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically determining optimization frequencies of queries having one or more parameter markers. Execution plans for a query are generated and each plan is associated with one or more bind value sets. An optimization frequency is selected based on differences between pairs of execution costs where one execution cost of a pair is a cost of executing the query with a bind value set via a first execution plan and the other execution cost of the pair is a cost of optimally executing the query with the bind value set via a second execution plan. The differences are based on maximum selectivity or cardinality distances associated with the bind value sets. If none of the differences exceeds a predefined value, the query is optimized once. If at least one of the differences exceeds the predefined value, the query is reoptimized each time the query is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: Fabian Hueske, Volker Gerhard Markl
  • Publication number: 20080195577
    Abstract: A method for automatically and adaptively determining query execution plans for parametric queries. A first classifier trained by an initial set of training points is generated using a set of random decision trees (RDTs). A query workload and/or database statistics are dynamically updated. A new set of training points collected off-line is used to modify the first classifier into a second classifier. A database query is received at a runtime subsequent to the off line phase. The query includes predicates having parameter markers bound to actual values. The predicates are associated with selectivities. The query execution plan is determined by identifying an optimal average of posterior probabilities obtained across a set of RDTs and mapping the selectivities to a plan. The determined query execution plan is included in an augmented set of training points that includes the initial set and the new set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Wei Fan, Guy Maring Lohman, Volker Gerhard Markl, Nimrod Megiddo, Jun Rao, David Everett Simmen, Julia Stoyanovich
  • Publication number: 20080195578
    Abstract: A method for automatically determining optimization frequencies of queries having one or more parameter markers. Bind value sets and associated measurement sets are obtained. Ouerv execution plans and associated execution costs for optimal query execution with a bind value set are determined. Bind value set pairs for execution plans with maximum distance in selectivity or cardinality are determined. Execution costs for all pairs of plans with maximum selectivity/cardinality distance are determined. An optimization frequency is selected based on differences between the determined execution costs and optimal execution costs. If none of the differences exceeds a predefined value, the query is optimized once. If at least one of the differences exceeds the predefined value, the query is reoptimized each time the query is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Fabian Hueske, Volker Gerhard Markl