Can a unified model streamline query evaluation in databases? This study presents a model for database storage and access, designed to encompass diverse evaluation algorithms as special cases. It aims to simplify complex algorithms into basic access operations, facilitating optimization and synthesis. Generalized access cost equations are developed and analyzed, paving the way for the creation of an optimal access algorithm. Optimization involves using these cost equations to determine an optimal access algorithm. This optimal algorithm can then be synthesized by a query subsystem, where the modular design of access operations can be synthesized. The modular approach makes the subsystem more flexible and efficient. Overall, this model provides a comprehensive framework for database query optimization. Its practical implications extend to the design of query subsystems that can efficiently synthesize optimal access algorithms, improving database performance. Future research may focus on extending the model to incorporate additional access operations and evaluating its effectiveness in real-world database systems.
This paper, published in ACM Transactions on Database Systems, fits directly into the journal's emphasis on database performance and optimization. The model's use of access cost equations and the synthesis of an optimal access algorithm contribute directly to the discussions on query optimization and database design, making the paper a valuable contribution to the field.