Patent ID: 8468150

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of conducting a scan on an index of a database object and accommodating one or more gaps within the index with respect to an operation comprising: generating one or more combinations of values for one or more gaps within an index with respect to an operation, wherein generating each combination of values includes: scanning the index based on a combination of one or more scan values; adjusting a value for a gap in a current combination of values to produce a succeeding combination of values based on scan results; and adjusting the combination of scan values for a succeeding scan based on the scan results to reduce a quantity of scans for determining the one or more combinations of values for the one or more gaps, wherein the index includes a composite index that encompasses at least two elements of the database object; and conducting one or more scans of the index utilizing the one or more combinations of values to retrieve data from the database and accommodate each gap in the index with respect to the operation.