18193069. PROVIDING TABLE DATA ACCESS IN USER-SPECIFIED FORMATS ON USER-MANAGED STORAGE simplified abstract (Snowflake Inc.)

PROVIDING TABLE DATA ACCESS IN USER-SPECIFIED FORMATS ON USER-MANAGED STORAGE

Organization Name

Snowflake Inc.

Inventor(s)

Selcuk Aya of Izmir (TR)

Thierry Cruanes of San Mateo CA (US)

Istvan Cseri of Seattle WA (US)

Benoit Dageville of San Mateo CA (US)

Marcia Feitel of Sunnyvale CA (US)

Steven P. Herbert of Woodinville WA (US)

Xinglian Liu of Redmond WA (US)

James Malone of Seattle WA (US)

Subramanian Muralidhar of Mercer Island WA (US)

Muthunagappan Muthuraman of Sunnyvale CA (US)

Polita Paulus of Kirkland WA (US)

Marianne Shaw of Bothell WA (US)

Nileema Shingte of San Mateo CA (US)

Wai Sing Wong of Bellevue WA (US)

Jiaqi Yan of Menlo Park CA (US)

PROVIDING TABLE DATA ACCESS IN USER-SPECIFIED FORMATS ON USER-MANAGED STORAGE - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18193069 titled 'PROVIDING TABLE DATA ACCESS IN USER-SPECIFIED FORMATS ON USER-MANAGED STORAGE

Simplified Explanation

The subject technology described in the patent application is a system that allows for the conversion and storage of tables in different formats on external volumes. Here is a simplified explanation of the abstract:

• The technology receives a command to convert a table into a different format and store it on an external volume.
• It creates a snapshot of the table on internal storage for reference.
• It generates a list of metadata files on the internal storage to keep track of the table's properties.
• Based on the list of metadata files, it generates a set of metadata files on the internal storage to provide additional information about the table.
• It then creates a second snapshot of the table on the external volume to ensure data integrity.
• It generates a second list of metadata files on the external volume to keep track of the table's properties on the external volume.
• Based on the second list of metadata files, it generates a second set of metadata files on the external volume to provide additional information about the table on the external volume.
• Finally, it creates a set of data files in a different file format on the external volume.

Potential applications of this technology:

• Data migration: This technology can be used to convert and store tables in different formats on external volumes, making it useful for data migration between different systems or platforms.
• Data backup and recovery: By creating snapshots and metadata files, this technology enables efficient backup and recovery of tables, ensuring data integrity and minimizing the risk of data loss.
• Data analysis: The ability to convert tables into different formats on external volumes can facilitate data analysis by allowing for compatibility with various analytical tools and software.

Problems solved by this technology:

• Format conversion: The technology addresses the challenge of converting tables into different formats, which is often required when working with different systems or software that have specific format requirements.
• Data integrity: By creating snapshots and metadata files, the technology ensures that the converted tables on the external volume are accurate and complete, reducing the risk of data corruption or loss.
• Storage efficiency: The use of snapshots and metadata files optimizes storage space by only storing the necessary information for the converted tables, reducing redundancy.

Benefits of this technology:

• Flexibility: The ability to convert tables into different formats allows for greater flexibility in working with data across different systems or software.
• Data protection: The creation of snapshots and metadata files ensures data integrity and provides a reliable backup and recovery solution.
• Storage optimization: By generating metadata files and only storing necessary information, the technology optimizes storage space and reduces storage costs.

Original Abstract Submitted

The subject technology receives a command to commit a table in a different table format on an external volume. The subject technology generates a first snapshot of the table on internal storage. The subject technology generates a first list of metadata files on the internal storage. The subject technology generates, based on the first list of metadata files, a first set of metadata files on the internal storage. The subject technology generates a second snapshot of the table on the external volume. The subject technology generates a second list of metadata files on the external volume. The subject technology generates, based on the second list of metadata files, a second set of metadata files on the external volume. The subject technology generates a first set of data files in a different file format on the external volume.