SQL/MX 2.x Reference Manual (H06.04+)

Introduction
HP NonStop SQL/MX Reference Manual540440-003
1-8
READ UNCOMMITTED
READ UNCOMMITTED
This option enables you to access locked data. READ UNCOMMITTED is not available
for DML statements that modify the database. It is available only for a SELECT
statement.
READ UNCOMMITTED provides the lowest level of data consistency. A SELECT
statement executing with this access option is allowed to:
Read data modified by a concurrent process (sometimes referred to as dirty reads)
Read different committed values for the same item at different times or find that the
item no longer exists (sometimes referred to as nonrepeatable reads)
Read different sets of committed values satisfying the same predicate at different
times (sometimes referred to as phantoms)
READ COMMITTED
This option allows you to access only committed data.
The implementation requires that a lock can be acquired on the data requested by the
DML statement—but does not actually lock the data, thereby reducing lock request
conflicts. If a lock cannot be granted (implying that the row contains uncommitted
data), the DML statement request waits until the lock in place is released.
READ COMMITTED provides the next higher level of data consistency (compared to
READ UNCOMMITTED). A statement executing with this access option does not allow
dirty reads, but both nonrepeatable reads and phantoms are possible.
READ COMMITTED provides sufficient consistency for any process that does not
require a repeatable read capability.
SERIALIZABLE or REPEATABLE READ
This option locks all data accessed through the DML statement and holds the locks on
data in audited tables until the end of any containing transaction.
SERIALIZABLE (or REPEATABLE READ) provides the highest level of data
consistency. A statement executing with this access option does not allow dirty reads,
nonrepeatable reads, or phantoms.
SKIP CONFLICT
This option allows transactions to skip rows locked in a conflicting mode by another
transaction. Do not use SKIP CONFLICT in a SET TRANSACTION statement. For
more information on the skip conflict access method, see the SQL/MX Queuing and
Publish/Subscribe Services manual.