Patent Publication Number: US-2021182266-A1

Title: System and method for use of lock-less techniques with a multidimensional database

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USE OF LOCK-LESS TECHNIQUES WITH A MULTIDIMENSIONAL DATABASE”, application Ser. No. 15/332,964, filed Oct. 24, 2016 which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USE OF LOCK-LESS TECHNIQUES WITH A MULTIDIMENSIONAL DATABASE”, Application No. 62/245,912, filed Oct. 23, 2015; which applications are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the invention are generally related to online analytical processing and multidimensional database computing environments, and to systems and methods for supporting use of lock-less algorithms to improve concurrency. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Multidimensional database computing environments enable companies to deliver critical business information to the right people when they need it, including the ability to leverage and integrate data from multiple existing data sources, and distribute filtered information to end-user communities in a format that best meets those users&#39; needs. Users can interact with and explore data in real time, and along familiar business dimensions, enabling speed-of-thought analytics. These are some examples of the types of environment in which embodiments of the invention can be used. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with an embodiment, described herein is a system and method for use with a multidimensional database (e.g, Essbase) computing environment. To improve performance, lock-less algorithms and data structures can be implemented for the multidimensional database. The lock-less algorithms can be implemented with specific hardware-level instructions so as to provide atomicity. With the removal of lock contention, concurrency is improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a multidimensional database environment, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates lock-free data structures within a multidimensional database environment in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  further illustrates lock-free data structures within a multidimensional database environment in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  further illustrates lock-free data structures within a multidimensional database environment in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a flow chart describing illustrates lock-free data structures within a multidimensional database environment in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The foregoing, together with other features, will become apparent upon referring to the enclosed specification, claims, and drawings. Specific details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of various embodiments. However, it will be apparent that various embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. The enclosed specification and drawings are not intended to be restrictive. 
     Multidimensional database environments, an example of which includes Oracle Essbase, can be used to integrate large amounts of data, in some instances from multiple data sources, and distribute filtered information to end-users, in a manner that addresses those users&#39; particular requirements. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a multidimensional database environment  100 , in accordance with an embodiment. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment, a multidimensional database environment, operating as a database tier, can include one or more multidimensional database server system(s)  102 , each of which can include physical computer resources or components  104  (e.g., microprocessor/CPU, physical memory, network components), an operating system  106 , and one or more multidimensional database server(s)  110  (e.g., Essbase Servers). 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a middle tier  120  can include one or more service(s), such as, for example, provider services  122  (e.g., Hyperion Provider Services), administration services  124  (e.g., Essbase Administration Services), or studio/integration services  126  (e.g., Essbase Studio/Essbase Integration Services). The middle tier can provide access, via ODBC/JDBC  127 ,  128 , or other types of interfaces, to a metadata catalog  129 , and/or one or more data source(s)  130  (for example, a relational database), for use with the multidimensional database environment. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the one or more data source(s) can also be accessed, via ODBC/JDBC  132 , or other types of interfaces, by the one or more multidimensional database server(s), for use in providing a multidimensional database. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a client tier  140  can include one or more multidimensional database client(s)  142  (e.g., Essbase Server clients), that enable access to a multidimensional database (such as, for example, Smart View, Spreadsheet Add-in, Smart Search, Administration Services, MaxL, XMLA, CAPI or VB API Applications, Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition Plus, or other types of multidimensional database clients). The client tier can also include consoles, for use with services in the middle tier, such as for example an administration services console  144 , or a studio/integration services console  146 . 
     In accordance with an embodiment, communication between the client, middle, and database tiers can be provided by one or more of TCP/IP, HTTP, or other types of network communication protocols. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the multidimensional database server can integrate data from the one or more data source(s), to provide a multidimensional database, data structure, or cube(s)  150 , which can then be accessed to provide filtered information to end-users. 
     Generally, each data value in a multidimensional database is stored in one cell of a cube; and a particular data value can be referenced by specifying its coordinates along dimensions of the cube. The intersection of a member from one dimension, with a member from each of one or more other dimensions, represents a data value. 
     For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , which illustrates a cube  162  that might be used in a sales-oriented business application, when a query indicates “Sales”, the system can interpret this query as a slice or layer of data values  164  within the database that contains all “Sales” data values, where “Sales” intersect with “Actual” and “Budget”. To refer to a specific data value  166  in a multidimensional database, the query can specify a member on each dimension, for example by specifying “Sales, Actual, January”. Slicing the database in different ways, provides different perspectives of the data; for example, a slice of data values  168  for “February” examines all of those data values for which a time/year dimension is fixed for “February”. 
     Database Outline 
     In accordance with an embodiment, development of a multidimensional database begins with the creation of a database outline, which defines structural relationships between members in the database; organizes data in the database; and defines consolidations and mathematical relationships. Within the hierarchical tree or data structure of the database outline, each dimension comprises one or more members, which in turn may comprise other members. The specification of a dimension instructs the system how to consolidate the values of its individual members. A consolidation is a group of members within a branch of the tree. 
     Dimensions and Members 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a dimension represents the highest consolidation level in the database outline. Standard dimensions may be chosen to represent components of a business plan that relate to departmental functions (e.g., Time, Accounts, Product Line, Market, Division). Attribute dimensions, that are associated with standard dimensions, enable a user to group and analyze members of standard dimensions based on member attributes or characteristics. Members (e.g., Product A, Product B, Product C) are the individual components of a dimension. 
     Dimension and Member Relationships 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a multidimensional database uses family (parents, children, siblings; descendants and ancestors); and hierarchical (generations and levels; roots and leaves) terms, to describe the roles and relationships of the members within a database outline. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a parent is a member that has a branch below it. For example, “Margin” may be a parent for “Sales”, and “Cost of Goods Sold” (COGS). A child is a member that has a parent above it. In the above example, “Sales” and “Cost of Goods Sold” are children of the parent “Margin”. Siblings are children of the same immediate parent, within the same generation. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, descendants are members in branches below a parent. For example, “Profit”, “Inventory”, and “Ratios” may be descendants of Measures; in which case the children of “Profit”, “Inventory”, and “Ratios” are also descendants of Measures. Ancestors are members in branches above a member. In the above example, “Margin”, “Profit”, and Measures may be ancestors of “Sales”. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a root is the top member in a branch. For example, Measures may be the root for “Profit”, “Inventory”, and “Ratios”; and as such for the children of “Profit”, “Inventory”, and “Ratios”. Leaf (level 0) members have no children. For example, Opening “Inventory”, Additions, and Ending “Inventory” may be leaf members. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a generation refers to a consolidation level within a dimension. The root branch of the tree is considered to be “generation 1”, and generation numbers increase from the root toward a leaf member. Level refers to a branch within a dimension; and are numbered in reverse from the numerical ordering used for generations, with level numbers decreasing from a leaf member toward its root. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a user can assign a name to a generation or level, and use that name as a shorthand for all members in that generation or level. 
     Sparse and Dense Dimensions 
     Data sets within a multidimensional database often share two characteristics: the data is not smoothly and uniformly distributed; and data does not exist for a majority of member combinations. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, to address this, the system can recognize two types of standard dimensions: sparse dimensions and dense dimensions. A sparse dimension is one with a relatively low percentage of available data positions filled; while a dense dimension is one in which there is a relatively high probability that one or more cells is occupied in every combination of dimensions. Many multidimensional databases are inherently sparse, in that they lack data values for the majority of member combinations. 
     Data Blocks and the Index System 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the multidimensional database uses data blocks and an index to store and access data. The system can create a multidimensional array or data block for each unique combination of sparse standard dimension members, wherein each data block represents the dense dimension members for its combination of sparse dimension members. An index is created for each data block, wherein the index represents the combinations of sparse standard dimension members, and includes an entry or pointer for each unique combination of sparse standard dimension members for which at least one data value exists. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, when the multidimensional database server searches for a data value, it can use the pointers provided by the index, to locate the appropriate data block; and, within that data block, locate the cell containing the data value. 
     Administration Services 
     In accordance with an embodiment, an administration service (e.g., Essbase Administration Services) provides a single-point-of-access that enables a user to design, develop, maintain, and manage servers, applications, and databases. 
     Studio 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a studio (e.g., Essbase Studio) provides a wizard-driven user interface for performing tasks related to data modeling, cube designing, and analytic application construction. 
     Spreadsheet Add-In 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a spreadsheet add-in integrates the multidimensional database with a spreadsheet, which provides support for enhanced commands such as Connect, Pivot, Drill-down, and Calculate. 
     Integration Services 
     In accordance with an embodiment, an integration service (e.g., Essbase Integration Services), provides a metadata-driven environment for use in integrating between the data stored in a multidimensional database and data stored in relational databases. 
     Provider Services 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a provider service (e.g., Hyperion Provider Services) operates as a data-source provider for Java API, Smart View, and XMLA clients. 
     Smart View 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a smart view provides a common interface for, e.g., Hyperion Financial Management, Hyperion Planning, and Hyperion Enterprise Performance Management Workspace data. 
     Developer Products 
     In accordance with an embodiment, developer products enable the rapid creation, management, and deployment of tailored enterprise analytic applications. 
     Lifecycle Management 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a lifecycle management (e.g., Hyperion Enterprise Performance Management System Lifecycle Management) provides a means for enabling enterprise performance management products to migrate an application, repository, or individual artifacts across product environments. 
     OLAP 
     In accordance with an embodiment, online analytical processing (OLAP) provides an environment that enables users to analyze enterprise data. For example, finance departments can use OLAP for applications such as budgeting, activity-based costing, financial performance analysis, and financial modeling, to provide “just-in-time” information. 
     Lock-Less Data Structures 
     In accordance with an embodiment, described herein is a system and method for use with a multidimensional database (e.g, Essbase) computing environment. To improve performance, lock-less algorithms and data structures can be implemented for the multidimensional database. The lock-less algorithms can be implemented with specific hardware-level instructions so as to provide atomicity. With the removal of lock contention, concurrency is improved. 
     A traditional approach to multi-threaded programming uses locks to synchronize access to shared resources. Synchronization techniques, like locks, enables a software developer to ensure that certain sections of code do not execute concurrently. For example, if concurrent execution, but disparate threads or processing cores, would corrupt shared data structures, concurrent execution should be controlled. In the case of locks, however, when one thread attempts to acquire a lock that is already held by another thread, then that thread will block until the lock is free. A blocked thread is undesirable. For instance, while a thread is blocked, the thread cannot perform other tasks. As such, in a situation where the blocked thread is performing a high-priority or real time task, a significant penalty can be incurred by halting its progress. 
     The computing machines that are used to run various multidimensional databases are becoming increasingly larger and more complex in terms of the number of processing cores available. In a machine with a large number of cores, contention with traditional synchronization techniques increases. The increased contention lowers efficiency and performance since a greater number of threads are idle waiting for locks. Accordingly, data structures and algorithms that operate in a lock-free manner overcome these shortcomings. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a lock-less data structure can improve scalability on multi-cored processors and/or multi-threaded systems. Lock-less or lock-free algorithms can be used to accomplish work efficiently within each core, without other tasks waiting a disproportionate amount of time for another task running on another core. Such algorithms can also provide a way to scale up to a greater number of cores. 
     Support for Lock-Less Algorithms in Multidimensional Database Environments 
       FIGS. 2-4  illustrate use of lock-free data structures within a multidimensional database environment in accordance with an embodiment. 
     Turning initially to  FIG. 2 , a multidimensional database environment  200  can include a database server  210 . According to an example, the database server  210  can include a plurality of processing cores or provide a multi-threaded environment so as to enable concurrency. A thread pool  220  can include a plurality of threads that concurrently perform calculations, data loads, or other operations on a multidimensional database. In particular, threads of thread pool  220  operate on index pages stored in an index cache  252  of memory  250 . Index pages refer to the location of data blocks on disk. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a thread in the multidimensional database environment  200  can commence an operation on a data block. The thread requests a cache manager  230  for an index page in the index cache  252 , if available. The cache manager  230 , responsive to the request, can access a hash table  240  to determine if an index page that refers to the data block is in the index cache  252 . 
     For example, a key associated with the index page can be hashed (i.e., passed through a hash function) to determine a corresponding location or bucket of the hash table  240 . If the index page is in index cache  252 , the corresponding bucket will include relevant information associated with the index page. If the index page is not present in the index cache  252 , the cache manager  230  reads in the index page from storage  260  and updates the hash table  240  accordingly. As thread pool  220  can include a plurality of threads, the foregoing operations can be carried out concurrently by multiple threads at a time. 
     In accordance with an aspect, collisions, which arise due to the hash function mapping disparate keys to a same hash value, can be resolved with a linked list associated with each bucket. Once a particular bucket is identified for a given key, the associated linked list is traversed to determine whether there is a hit on the index cache. Further, other operations on the linked list, such as an insert operation or a delete operation are performed when an index page is added or removed from the index cache  252 . 
     When the potential of concurrency increases, by increasing a number of threads or increasing a number of processing cores, the level of contention on the hash table  240  also increases. To avoid blocking threads, and thus decreasing performance, hash table  240  can include a lock-less module  242  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The lock-less module  242  enhances an implementation of hash table  240  to utilize lock-less algorithms so that a plurality of threads of thread pool  220  can concurrently access and modify entries of hash table  240  without blocking. That is, without synchronizing on locks, contention is reduced and more efficiently managed. In accordance with an embodiment, the linked lists, associated with each bucket of the hash table  240 , are implemented with lock-less functionality. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4 , lock-less module  242  utilizes a compare-and-swap function  244  to enable lock-less algorithms. In general, the compare-and-swap function  244  operates to verify that a state of a data structure is in an expected state before completing an operation. To avoid contention and provide lock-free access, the compare-and-swap function  244  is performed atomically. According to an embodiment, the compare-and-swap function  244  is implemented with specific CPU or other hardware-level instructions. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, an operand to the compare-and-swap instruction is augmented to include a counter. The counter addresses a situation where a data structure is changed one or more times while a particular thread of execution prepares to compare-and-swap. After the changes by other threads, a possibility exists that a new state of the data structure is similar enough to match an old state of the data structure that will be compared against. In such cases, completing a subsequent compare-and-swap could corrupt the data structure. Accordingly, in addition to checking the data structure against an expected state, the compare-and-swap function further checks a counter value. If the counter does not match, but the expected state does match, then the thread determines that a false positive has occurred. Accordingly, the compare-and-swap does not complete and the thread attempts again. If both the expected state and counter match, then the compare-and-swap occurs and the associated counter is incremented. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a thread, seeking to find an index page in the index cache  252 , will identify the appropriate bucket of hash table  240  where relevant information for the index page can be found, if available. The thread subsequently traverses an associate linked list to determine whether the index page is available in the index cache  252 . The traversal of the linked list utilizes the compare-and-swap function  244  with a lock-free search algorithm. 
     Similarly, when an index page is added to the index cache  252 , an insert operation is performed on the appropriate linked list associated with the bucket of hash table  240  mapped to the data block. As before, to provide lock-free access, the insert operation atomically executes the compare-and-swap function  244  to ensure the data structure is in an expected state before modification. Further, when an index page is removed from the index cache  252 , a delete operation is utilized, which also relies on the compare-and-swap function  244 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a flow chart describing illustrates lock-free data structures within a multidimensional database environment in accordance with an embodiment. At step  501 , an index cache of a multidimensional database is accessed, in parallel, by a plurality of threads. 
     At step  502 , each thread of the plurality of thread utilizes a shared hash table to locate an index page in the index cache. Each thread accesses the shared hash table via lock-less mechanisms. For instance, the hash table operations invoked by the threads can utilize lock-less algorithms based on an atomic compare-and-swap function. 
     At step  503 , the respective index page is accessed by each thread, if found. Otherwise, the index page is loaded to the index cache. By loading the index page to the index cache, the thread modifies the hash table to presence of the index page with relevant information. Like the hash table search, the modification operations also utilize lock-free algorithms based on the compare-and-swap function. 
     The present invention may be conveniently implemented using one or more conventional general purpose or specialized computer, computing device, machine, or microprocessor, including one or more processors, memory and/or computer readable storage media programmed according to the teachings of the present disclosure. Appropriate software coding can readily be prepared by skilled programmers based on the teachings of the present disclosure, as will be apparent to those skilled in the software art. 
     In some embodiments, the present invention includes a computer program product which is a non-transitory storage medium or computer readable medium (media) having instructions stored thereon/in which can be used to program a computer to perform any of the processes of the present invention. The storage medium can include, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical discs, DVD, CD-ROMs, microdrive, and magneto-optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, DRAMs, VRAMs, flash memory devices, magnetic or optical cards, nanosystems (including molecular memory ICs), or any type of media or device suitable for storing instructions and/or data. 
     The foregoing description of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to the practitioner skilled in the art. 
     For example, while many of the embodiments described herein illustrate the use of an Oracle Essbase multidimensional database environment, in accordance with various embodiments the components, features, and methods described herein can be used with other types of online analytical processing or multidimensional database computing environments. 
     The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications that are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.