Patent ID: 6959302

Claim:
A method in a database system comprising a first server including a query processing part for XML data having a hierarchical tag structure, storing information about a structure of XML data, and at least one of second servers coupled to said first server, via a network, for storing XML data defined by using XML data type on a database, said method comprising: causing said second server, upon a first query for XML data, to extract from said database location information of said XML data and to return said location information as a retrieval result to said first server; causing said first server, upon a second query for sub-data included in said XML data, to send information about the structure of XML data to said second server, said sub-data being used for processing; and causing said second server, upon said second query, to return to said first server sub-data hierarchically retrieved from said XML data based on said location information of said XML data and said information about the structure of XML data so that said sub-data in said XML data is used for processing.