Method for optimizing the performance of a database

A method for reducing the persistent size and optimizing the performance of a relational database system, comprising the computer implemented steps of:

• storing in an index a copy of each non-integer unique data element that would occur in a database table;
• sequentially assigning to each entry in the index an integer identifier;
• populating the database table with the integer identifiers corresponding to each data element;
• keeping a reference count for each data element to control its lifetime;
• and
• adding a temporary column to the database table to store a plurality of temporary data elements, the temporary data elements not persisting in the database table.

A method for reducing the persistent size and optimizing the performance of a relational database system, comprising the computer implemented steps of:

• storing in an index a copy of each non-integer unique data element that would occur in a database table;
• sequentially assigning to each entry in the index an integer identifier;
• populating the database table with the integer identifiers corresponding to each data element;
• keeping the reference count for each data element to control the data element's lifetime;
• adding either a temporary row or a temporary column to the database table to store integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements;
• and
• modifying the integer identifiers corresponding to data elements and temporary data elements;
• wherein the modifications to integer identifiers corresponding to the data elements persist, but the modifications to the integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements do not persist.

A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium carrying computer executable instructions that implement a method for reducing the persistent size and optimizing the performance of a relational database system, the method comprising:

• storing in an index a copy of each non-integer unique data element that would occur in a database table;
• sequentially assigning to each entry in the index an integer identifier;
• populating the database table with the integer identifiers corresponding to each data element;
• keeping the reference count for each data element to control the data element's lifetime;
• adding either a temporary row or a temporary column to the database table to store integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements;
• and
• modifying the integer identifiers corresponding to data elements and temporary data elements;
• wherein the modifications to integer identifiers corresponding to the data elements persist, but the modifications to the integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements do not persist.