Object-Relational Spatial Indexing

In order to generate efficient execution plans for queries comprising spatial data types and predicates, the database system has to be equipped with appropriate index structures, query processing methods and optimization rules. Although available extensible indexing frameworks provide a gateway for seamless integration of spatial access methods into the standard process of query optimization and execution, they do not facilitate the actual implementation of the spatial access method. An internal enhancement of the database kernel is usually not an option for database developers. The embedding of a custom, block-oriented index structure into concurrency control, recovery services and buffer management would cause extensive implementation efforts and maintenance cost, at the risk of weakening the reliability of the entire system. The server stability can be preserved by delegating index operations to an external process, but this approach induces severe performance bottlenecks due to context switches and inter-process communication. Therefore, we present the paradigm of object-relational spatial access methods that perfectly fits to the common relational data model, and is highly compatible with the extensible indexing frameworks of existing object-relational database systems, allowing the user to define application-specific access methods.