Self-described query execution in a massively parallel SQL execution engine

A system, comprising:

• one or more processors configured to:
• generate a self-described query plan at a master node that is responsive to a query, wherein the self-described query plan comprises metadata and other information needed by one or more segments to execute the self-described query plan, wherein the metadata and other information comprise information relating to locations of data in a distributed storage in connection with execution of the self-described query plan;
• communicate the self-described query plan to the one or more segments for execution;
• and
• receive a result associated with execution of the self-described query plan from the one or more segments, wherein the self-described query plan is executed such that the one or more segments do not access a central metadata store in connection with executing the self-described query plan;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide instructions to the one or more processors.

A non-transitory computer readable storage media for storing executable instructions for controlling an operation of one or more computers in a massively parallel processing (MPP) data storage system comprising a master node and a cluster of multiple distributed segments that access data in distributed storage to perform a method of query execution comprising:

• generating a self-described query plan at the master node that is responsive to a query, wherein the self-described query plan comprises metadata and other information needed by one or more segments to execute the self-described query plan, wherein the metadata and other information comprise information relating to locations of data in the distributed storage in connection with execution of the self-described query plan;
• communicating the self-described query plan to the one or more segments for execution;
• and
• receiving a result associated with execution of the self-described query plan from the one or more segments, wherein the self-described query plan is executed such that the one or more segments do not access a central metadata store in connection with executing the self-described query plan.