SQL/MP Glossary

Compaq NonStop™ SQL/MP Glossary—429832-001
Glossary-1
Glossary
absolute pathname. In the Compaq NonStop Kernel Open System Services (OSS)
environment, a pathname that begins with a slash (/) character and is resolved beginning
with the root directory.
accelerate. To use the Accelerator program to generate an accelerated object file.
accelerated object code. The RISC instructions that result from processing a TNS object file
with the Accelerator.
accelerated object file. The object file that results from processing a TNS object file with the
Accelerator. An accelerated object file contains the original TNS object code, the
accelerated object code and related address map tables, and any Binder and symbol
information from the original TNS object file.
Accelerator. A program that processes a TNS object file and produces an accelerated object
file. Most TNS object code that has been accelerated runs faster on TNS/R processors
than TNS object code that has not been accelerated.
access option. See browse access
, repeatable access, and stable access.
access path. An access path is the method by which data is accessed. NonStop SQL/MP
provides the following access paths:
•
Primary access, which can be sequential (entire base table scanned) or keyed (rows
read based on primary-key value)
•
Alternate-index access, which can be index-only (all columns required by the query
are included in the index) or access to the base table through an index
access plan. See execution plan
.
active dictionary. A data dictionary that is always consistent with the current state of the
data it defines.
ad hoc query. A one-time request for data from a database. Typically, NonStop SQL/MP
users enter ad hoc queries interactively through SQLCI.
alias. A name assigned by a NAME command to a column in the select list and used to refer
to the column in subsequent report commands.
altered execution plan. An invalid but operable execution plan that has been altered by the
SQL compiler but not recompiled. The similarity check and SQLCOMP COMPILE
INOPERABLE PLANS option can cause the SQL compiler to alter a plan. If the
similarity check passes for a table or protection view, the SQL compiler alters the
execution plan with the new physical name, redefinition timestamp, and partition node
array.
alternate key. See index
.