Migration of unified table metadata graph nodes

A non-transitory computer program product storing instructions which, when executed by at least one hardware data processor forming part of at least one computing system, result in operations comprising:

• storing, within an in-memory database, a metadata page describing a composition of a unified table, the unified table comprising a plurality of columns of data, each column having a column type, data for each column stored in at least one page chain, the metadata page comprising a plurality of structure descriptors forming a tree of metadata corresponding to the structure of the unified table, the metadata page further comprising metadata for each of a plurality of objects in different frames associated with one of the plurality of structure descriptors describing a database structure of the corresponding object, the different frames being part of the metadata page, each different frame comprising an object and a header specifying a version identifier for the object and a size of the object, the plurality of structure descriptors initially being for a first build identifier, wherein the plurality of objects comprises columns of data;
• identifying, upon the plurality of structure descriptors changing from the first build identifier to a second build identifier, at least one of the objects that requires migration, the identification being based on the version identifier for the object being different from the second build identifier;
• migrating only the objects from their corresponding frame to a new frame in the in-memory database, the new frame including the objects and new headers that include a version identifier equal to the second build identifier, wherein each object is migrated from its corresponding frame to the new frame by generating a corresponding new object in the new frame that is larger than the object, and subsequently populating data encapsulated in the object to the new object in the new frame;
• and
• deactivating the different frames from which the objects have been migrated after completion of the migration.

A system comprising:

• at least one hardware data processor;
• and
• memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one hardware data processor, result in operations comprising:
• storing, within an in-memory database, a metadata page describing a composition of a unified table, the unified table comprising a plurality of columns of data, each column having a column type, data for each column stored in at least one page chain, the metadata page comprising a plurality of structure descriptors forming a tree of metadata corresponding to the structure of the unified table, the metadata page further comprising metadata for each of a plurality of objects in different frames associated with one of the plurality of structure descriptors describing a database structure of the corresponding object, the different frames being part of the metadata page, each different frame comprising an object and a header specifying a version identifier for the object and a size of the object, the plurality of structure descriptors initially being for a first build identifier, wherein the plurality of objects comprises columns of data;
• identifying, upon the plurality of structure descriptors changing from the first build identifier to a second build identifier, at least one of the objects that requires migration, the identification being based on the version identifier for the object being different from the second build identifier;
• migrating only the objects from their corresponding frame to a new frame in the in-memory database, the new frame including the objects and new headers that include a version identifier equal to the second build identifier, wherein each object is migrated from its corresponding frame to the new frame by generating a corresponding new object in the new frame that is larger than the object, and subsequently populating data encapsulated in the object to the new object in the new frame;
• and
• deactivating the different frames from which the objects have been migrated after completion of the migration.