Patent ID: 8095572
Filing Date: 2012-01-10
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for determining database containers that include references to a first data item, the method comprising: a computer system accessing information specifying respective properties of a plurality of containers in a database; based on the respective properties, the computer system determining a candidate set of containers that includes fewer than the plurality of containers, wherein the database includes a plurality of data items that includes the first data item, wherein each of the plurality of data items is stored in a respective one of a plurality of records of the database, wherein each of the containers in the candidate set of containers includes one or more references to data items in the plurality of data items, and wherein the database is structured such that a record within the database that includes a data item does not indicate which of the plurality of containers includes a reference to that data item; for each of the containers in the candidate set, the computer system querying the database to determine whether the container includes a reference to the first data item; and the computer system using results of the querying to determine any containers in the candidate set of containers that include a reference to the first data item.