Using an intermediate storage medium in a database management system

An apparatus for accessing a database, comprising:

• a DBMS that manipulates data stored in the database;
• a primary storage medium;
• an intermediate storage medium having a first access time;
• a secondary storage medium having a second access time that is longer than the first access time;
• and
• a data migration portion for, in accordance with a request from the DBMS, moving a piece of the data from the primary storage medium to the intermediate storage medium when the primary storage medium is full.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable code therein for accessing a database, the computer program product comprising:
• computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect receiving a request to read database data located in the database;
• computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect, when a primary storage medium is full, determining which database data needs to be discarded from the primary storage medium to make room for more data;
• computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect storing the database data to be discarded into an intermediate storage medium;
• and
• computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect reading the database data, after the data to be discarded is stored, into the primary storage medium from a one of the intermediate storage medium and the secondary storage medium.