Packing nodes into records to store XML XQuery data model and other hierarchically structured data

A method implemented by executing, by a computer, computer readable program code to store hierarchically structured data in record data structures, said computer executing said computer readable program code to:

• access a hierarchically structured data comprising a plurality of nodes that do not fit in one record having a predefined maximum record size;
• identify at least one largest sub-tree in said hierarchically structured data;
• for each node in said identified largest sub-tree, store, in a record:
• a node number, local node ID assigned to a node according to the node's sequence under a particular parent node, and an absolute node ID that is a concatenation of local node IDs from a root node to a given node;
• and
• for a remainder of nodes in said plurality of nodes, store, in at least one other record, for each node in said plurality of nodes:
• a node number, local node ID assigned to a node according to the node's sequence under a particular parent node, an absolute node ID that is a concatenation of local node IDs from a root node to a given node, and a pointer representing a proxy node pointing to said record associated with said largest sub-tree.

A system to store hierarchically structured data in record data structures, said system comprising:

• a processor;
• computer storage storing computer readable program code;
• said processor executing said computer readable program code to:
• access a hierarchically structured data comprising a plurality of nodes that do not fit in one record having a predefined maximum record size;
• identify at least one largest sub-tree in said hierarchically structured data;
• for each node in said identified largest sub-tree, store, in a record in said storage:
• a node number, local node ID assigned to a node according to the node's sequence under a particular parent node, and an absolute node ID that is a concatenation of local node IDs from a root node to a given node;
• and
• for a remainder of nodes in said plurality of nodes, store, in at least one other record in said storage, for each node in said plurality of nodes:
• a node number, local node ID assigned to a node according to the node's sequence number under a particular parent node, an absolute node ID, and a pointer representing a proxy node pointing to said record associated with said largest sub-tree.