Virtually partitioning user data in a database system

A method for managing access to data stored in a database system, the method comprising the steps of:

• adding a column to a database object containing records for users;
• transparent to said users, storing a value in the column for each row in the database object to indicate a user associated with the data in said each row, wherein said users do not expressly specify storing the value in the column for each row in the database object, and said value is generated according to metadata indicating how to generate values for said column;
• and
• satisfying queries issued by a particular user against said database object by providing data only from those rows in the database object that contain a value in the column identifying the particular user.

A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for managing user access to data, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• detecting that a database command is issued by a user against a database object containing records for a plurality of users that includes said user;
• before executing the database command against the database, creating a modified database command based on the database command and issued against the same database object by selectively adding zero or more predicates to said database command that specify one or more criteria that is:
• satisfied by record containing data for said user, and not satisfied by records containing data for other users of said plurality of users;
• and
• executing said modified database command.

A computer-readable medium for managing access to data stored in a database system, the computer-readable medium comprising the steps of:

• adding a column to a database object containing records for users;
• transparent to said users, storing a value in the column for each row in the database object to indicate a user associated with the data in said each row, wherein said users do not expressly specify storing the value in the column for each row in the database object, and said value is generated according to metadata indicating how to generate values for said column;
• and
• satisfying queries issued by a particular user against said database object by providing data only from those rows in the database object that contain a value in the column identifying the particular user.