Research Reports from the Department of Operations

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

5-1-1980

Abstract

This dissertation presents the problem of selecting secondary keys and indices as a zero-one nonlinear programming model. The ASSIST model, originally proposed by Hoffer [30], has been taken as a starting point and base. Specifically, two contributions are made. First, as a front-end enhancement, the model has been compacted to treat only two types of queries which actually cover the whole spectrum of possibilities, that is, known and ad hoc queries in disjunctive normal form. Second, as a back-end enhancement, a heuristic algorithm is developed to produce a close-to optimal solution. Several indexing selection problems were also solved by using the algorithm. The model here assumes a specific computer operating system, although generalizations can easily be made; further, the model assumes that no concatenation among attributes are explicitly allowed and that the alternative for the use of secondary indices is a sequential file scan. The model handles retrievals, modifications, insertions and deletions, and considers the costs of index access, index intersection, index union, record access, record evaluation, index maintenance (for modification queries) and record rewrite (for modification queries).

Keywords

Operations research, Database management, Nonlinear programming, Heuristic algorithms, Information storage and retrieval systems, Sequential processing (Computer science), Mathematical optimization, Indexing

Publication Title

Dissertation, Department of Operations, School of Management, Case Western Reserve University

Issue

Technical memorandum no. 469 ; Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Rights

This work is in the public domain and may be freely downloaded for personal or academic use

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