A computing system comprising: one or more memories; one or more processing units coupled to the one or more memories; and one or more computer readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions specifying operations for: creating a first schema for a first virtual table in a data dictionary, the first schema comprising a first logical pointer having a first value specifying a location of a first table comprising first data and defined according to the first schema, the first location located in in-memory storage of a central computing system hosting a database management system, the database management system comprising dynamic storage, the first location not being in the dynamic storage, wherein the dynamic storage comprises an in-memory buffer cache and persistent storage and data stored in the dynamic storage can be transferred between the in-memory buffer cache and the persistent storage; receiving a request to update the first logical pointer to a second value, the second value specifying a second table at a second location, the second table defined according to the first schema and the second location being in the dynamic storage; and assigning the second value to the first logical pointer. one or more memories; one or more processing units coupled to the one or more memories; and one or more computer readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions specifying operations for: creating a first schema for a first virtual table in a data dictionary, the first schema comprising a first logical pointer having a first value specifying a location of a first table comprising first data and defined according to the first schema, the first location located in in-memory storage of a central computing system hosting a database management system, the database management system comprising dynamic storage, the first location not being in the dynamic storage, wherein the dynamic storage comprises an in-memory buffer cache and persistent storage and data stored in the dynamic storage can be transferred between the in-memory buffer cache and the persistent storage; receiving a request to update the first logical pointer to a second value, the second value specifying a second table at a second location, the second table defined according to the first schema and the second location being in the dynamic storage; and assigning the second value to the first logical pointer. creating a first schema for a first virtual table in a data dictionary, the first schema comprising a first logical pointer having a first value specifying a location of a first table comprising first data and defined according to the first schema, the first location located in in-memory storage of a central computing system hosting a database management system, the database management system comprising dynamic storage, the first location not being in the dynamic storage, wherein the dynamic storage comprises an in-memory buffer cache and persistent storage and data stored in the dynamic storage can be transferred between the in-memory buffer cache and the persistent storage; receiving a request to update the first logical pointer to a second value, the second value specifying a second table at a second location, the second table defined according to the first schema and the second location being in the dynamic storage; and assigning the second value to the first logical pointer. <EOS>