Applying range-based filtering during query execution based on utilizing an inverted index structure

A database system includes:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a memory that stores operational instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the database system to:
• execute a query that indicates a range-based filter applied to a column of a set of relational database rows stored in a database storage system, wherein column values of the set of relational database rows for the column are stored via first memory resources of the database storage system;
• and
• generate an output corresponding to the range-based filter in conjunction with executing the query based on:
• performing a search of an inverted index structure indexing values of the column to generate an in-range indexed value set by identifying all indexed values of the inverted index structure falling within a range corresponding to the range-based filter, wherein the inverted index structure is stored via second memory resources of the database storage system separate from the first memory resources;
• extracting a set of characteristics of the in-range indexed value set based on performing the search of the inverted index structure;
• determining whether the set of characteristics compare favorably to a set of index-usage requirements;
• when the set of characteristics compare favorably to the set of index-usage requirements, generating the output based on performing a plurality of searches to the inverted index structure based on the in-range indexed value set without reading the column values from the first memory resources;
• and
• when the set of characteristics compare unfavorably to the set of index-usage requirements, generating the output by reading the column values from the first memory resources without performing any searches to the inverted index structure.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprises:

• at least one memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by a processing module that includes a processor and a memory, cause the processing module to:
• execute a query that indicates a range-based filter applied to a column of a set of relational database rows stored in a database storage system, wherein column values of the set of relational database rows for the column are stored via first memory resources of the database storage system;
• and
• generate an output corresponding to the range-based filter in conjunction with executing the query based on:
• performing a search of an inverted index structure indexing values of the column to generate an in-range indexed value set by identifying all indexed values of the inverted index structure falling within a range corresponding to the range-based filter, wherein the inverted index structure is stored via second memory resources of the database storage system separate from the first memory resources;
• extracting a set of characteristics of the in-range indexed value set based on performing the search of the inverted index structure;
• determining whether the set of characteristics compare favorably to a set of index-usage requirements;
• when the set of characteristics compare favorably to the set of index-usage requirements, generating the output based on performing a plurality of searches to the inverted index structure based on the in-range indexed value set without reading the column values from the first memory resources;
• and
• when the set of characteristics compare unfavorably to the set of index-usage requirements, generating the output by reading the column values from the first memory resources without performing any searches to the inverted index structure.