Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 7.3
Demonstration of the use of the Sorting-Needle.
Figure 7.4
Multiprocessor Sorting-Needle.
metadata element in the query. The needle was passed through for each piece of meta-
data in the query and then lifted up, bringing with it the subset of cards that had the
queried values. “or” clauses in the query were performed by repeating the process on
the original box of cards. “AnD” clauses were executed by performing the needle query
only on those cards lifted previously:
A major innovation (one worthy of a patent) was the multiprocessor sorting-needle
(Figure 7.4).
7.3.2 The Essbase ASO Implementation of the Sorting-Needle, the Holes, and the Notches
ASo cubes work similarly to the deck of punched/notched cards described
above. Each piece of numeric fact data stored on the card is represented as an
“input-level” cell in Essbase. A binary code representing each piece of level-0 meta-
data in each dimension is attached to the input-level cell. Additionally, a binary
code representing each upper-level classification of metadata in each dimension is
attached. The binary code combines to be the equivalent of the holes and notches
punched on the card.
I will refer to this binary code in this chapter as the “bitmap.” With this bitmap
attached to each input-level cell, ASo is able to search for any member, even upper-level
