Database system with database engine and separate distributed storage service

A system, comprising:

• one or more computing nodes, each of which comprises at least one processor and a memory, wherein the one or more computing nodes are configured to collectively implement a database service, and where the database service comprises a database engine head node and an interface to a distributed storage system;
• wherein the database engine head node is configured to:
• receive, from a client of the database service, a write request directed to a given data record in a database table, wherein the write request specifies a modification to be made to the given data record;
• generate a redo log record representing the modification to be made to the given data record;
• send, via the interface, the redo log record, but not a data page comprising the given data record, to a particular server node of the distributed storage service that stores a version of the data page comprising the given data record;
• receive, via the interface, an acknowledgment that the redo log record has been written to the distributed storages service;
• and
• return, to the database client, a response indicating that the requested write has been performed.

A system, comprising:

• one or more computing nodes, each of which comprises at least one processor and a memory, wherein the one or more computing nodes are configured to collectively implement a distributed storage service that stores data blocks on one or more storage devices on behalf of a client of the distributed storage service;
• wherein a given one of the one or more computing nodes is configured to:
• receive, from the client, an update record for a particular data block that is stored on the given computing node, wherein the update record specifies a modification to be made to the particular data block;
• write the update record to one or more of the one or more storage devices;
• and
• return, to the client, an acknowledgement that the update record was written, without waiting for a current version of the particular data block to be generated or for the modification specified in the update record to be applied to the particular data block.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions that when executed on one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform:

• receiving a query comprising a write request targeting a data block that is stored in a distributed storage system, wherein the write request specifies a modification to be made to the data block;
• generating a redo log record representing the modification to be made to the data block;
• determining a node in the distributed storage system that stores the data block;
• sending the redo log record, but not a copy of the data block, to the determined node in the distributed storage system;
• and
• receiving an acknowledgement from the determined node in the distributed storage system that the redo log record has been written to a storage device on the determined node.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions that when executed on one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform:

• storing a plurality of data pages comprising data records of a database table on one or more storage system server nodes, each comprising one or more storage devices;
• receiving a redo log record directed to a particular data page;
• storing the redo log record on one or more of the storage devices;
• determining that a coalescing operation is warranted for the particular data page;
• in response to said determining:
• performing a coalescing operation for the particular data page, wherein performing the coalescing operation comprise applying the redo log record and one or more other redo log records to a previously generated version of the particular data page to generate a current version of the particular data page;
• and
• storing the current version of the particular data page one or more of the storage devices.