Sharing Materialized Views In Multiple Tenant Database Systems

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for sharing materialized views in multiple tenant database systems. A method includes defining a materialized view over a source table that is associated with a first account of a multiple tenant database. The method includes defining cross-account access rights to the materialized view to a second account such that that second account can read the materialized view without copying the materialized view. The method includes modifying the source table for the materialized view. The method includes identifying whether the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table by merging the materialized view and the source table.

1 . A system for cross-account sharing of a materialized view in a multiple tenant database, the system comprising:
 means for generating the materialized view from a source table, the source table associated with a first account of the multiple tenant database;   means for providing cross-account access rights to the materialized view to a second account such that the second account is given access to read the materialized view without copying the materialized view;   means for modifying the source table; and   means for identifying whether the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-account access rights to the second account second account includes not giving the second account access to read the source table or write to the source table. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the means for identifying whether the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table comprises:
 means for merging the materialized view and the source table; and   means for identifying whether data in he source table has been modified since a last refresh of the materialized view;   wherein the system further comprises means for refreshing the materialized view with respect to the source table in response to identifying a modification to the source table since the last refresh of the materialized view.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 means for storing the source table associated with the first account across one or more of a plurality of storage devices that are shared across the multiple tenant database;   means for providing an execution platform associated with the first account that has read access and write access to the source table; and   means for providing an execution platform associated with the second account that has read access to the materialized view.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the execution platform associated with the first account includes the means for generating the materialized view; and   the execution platform associated with the first account includes the means for modifying the source table.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising means for defining view privileges for the cross-account access rights to the materialized view such that an underlying detail of the source table for the materialized view comprises a secure view definition, wherein the underlying detail of the source table comprises one or more of:
 a data field in the source table;   a column of data in the source table;   a structural element of the source table;   a quantity of data in the source table;   metadata for the source table; or   a transaction log of modifications made to the source table.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the means for defining the view privileges for the cross-account access rights to the materialized view comprises means for hiding the view privileges from the second account and means for making the view privileges visible to the first account. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising means for defining a reference list comprising a list of one or more accounts that are eligible for receiving cross-account access rights to the materialized view. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 means for receiving a request from the second account to generate the materialized view from certain data stored in the source table;   means for providing the request to the first account for approval or denial; and   means for providing a notification to the second account indicating whether the request was approved or denied by the first account.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising means for providing a notification to the second account indicating that the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table in response to identifying that the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table. 
     
     
         11 . A method for cross-account sharing of a materialized view in a multiple tenant database, the method comprising:
 generating the materialized view from a source table, the source table associated with a first account of the multiple tenant database;   providing cross-account access rights to the materialized view to a second account such that the second account is given access to read the materialized view without copying the materialized view;   modifying the source table; and   identifying whether the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cross-account access rights to the to the second account includes not giving the second account access to read the source table or write to the source table. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein identifying whether the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table comprises:
 merging the materialized view and the source table; and   identifying whether data in the source table has been modified since a last refresh of the materialized view;   wherein the method further comprises refreshing the materialized view with respect to the source table in response to identifying a modification to the source table since the last refresh of the materialized view.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising defining view privileges for the cross-account access rights to the materialized view such that an underlying detail of the source table for the materialized view comprises a secure view definition, wherein the underlying detail of the source table comprises one or more of:
 a data field in the source table;   a column of data in the source table;   a structural element of the source table;   a quantity of data in the source table;   metadata for the source table; or   a transaction log of modifications made to the source table.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising defining a reference list comprising a list of one or more accounts that are eligible for receiving cross-account access rights to the materialized view. 
     
     
         16 . A processor that is configurable to execute instructions stored in non-transitory computer readable storage media, the processor is configured to perform operations comprising:
 generating a materialized view over a source table, the source table associated with a first account of a multiple tenant database;   providing cross-account access rights to the materialized view to a second account such that the second account is given access to read the materialized view without copying the materialized view;   modifying the source table; and   identifying whether the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table.   
     
     
         17 . The processor of  claim 16 , wherein defining the cross-account access rights to the to the second account includes not giving the second account access to read the source table or write to the source table. 
     
     
         18 . The processor of  claim 16 , wherein identifying whether the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table comprises:
 merging the materialized view and the source table; and   identifying whether data in the source table has been modified since a last refresh of the materialized view;   wherein the the processor is further configured to refresh the materialized view with respect to the source table in response to identifying a modification to the source table since the last refresh of the materialized view.   
     
     
         19 . The processor of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to define view privileges for the cross-account access rights to the materialized view such that an underlying detail of the source table for the materialized view comprises a secure view definition, wherein the underlying detail of the source table comprises one or more of:
 a data field in the source table;   a column of data in the source table;   a structural element of the source table;   a quantity of data in the source table;   metadata for the source table; or   a transaction log of modifications made to the source table.   
     
     
         20 . The processor of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to define a reference list comprising a list of one or more accounts that are eligible for receiving cross-account access rights to the materialized view. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 storing the source table associated with the first account across one or more of a plurality of storage devices that are shared across the multiple tenant database;   providing an execution platform associated with the first account that has read access and write access to the source table; and   providing an execution platform associated with the second account that has read access to the materialized view.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the execution platform associated with the first account is used for generating the materialized view; and   the execution platform associated with the first account is used for modifying the source table.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein defining the view privileges for the cross-account access rights to the materialized view comprises hiding the view privileges from the second account and making the view privileges visible to the first account. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving a request from the second account to generate the materialized view fromsertain data stored in the source table;   providing the request to the first account for approval or denial; and   providing a notification to the second account indicating whether the request was approved or denied by the first account.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing a notification to the second account indicating that the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table in response to identifying that the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table. 
     
     
         26 . The processor of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 storing the source table associated with the first account across one or more of a plurality of storage devices that are shared across the multiple tenant database;   providing an execution platform associated with the first account that has read access and write access to the source table; and   providing an execution platform associated with the second account that has read access to the materialized view.   
     
     
         27 . The processor of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the execution platform associated with the first account is used for generating the materialized view; and   the execution platform associated with the first account is used for modifying the source table.   
     
     
         28 . The processor of  claim 19 , wherein defining the view privileges for the cross-account access rights to the materialized view comprises hiding the view privileges from the second account and making the view privileges visible to the first account. 
     
     
         29 . The processor of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receiving a request from the second account to generate the materialized view fromsertain data stored in the source table;   providing the request to the first account for approval or denial; and   providing a notification to the second account indicating whether the request was approved or denied by the first account.   
     
     
         30 . The processor of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to providing a notification to the second account indicating that the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table in response to identifying that the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table. 
     
     
         31 . A non-transitory computer readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 generating the materialized view from a source table, the source table associated with a first account of the multiple tenant database;   providing cross-account access rights to the materialized view to a second account such that the second account is given access to read the materialized view without copying the materialized view;   modifying the source table; and   identifying whether the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table.   
     
     
         32 . The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 31 , wherein the the cross-account access rights to the second account includes not giving the second account access to read the source table or write to the source table. 
     
     
         33 . The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 31 , wherein identifying whether the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table comprises:
 merging the materialized view and the source table; and   identifying whether data in the source table has been modified since a last refresh of the materialized view; and   further comprising refreshing the materialized view with respect to the source table in response to identifying a modification to the source table since the last refresh of the materialized view.   
     
     
         34 . The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 storing the source table associated with the first account across one or more of a plurality of storage devices that are shared across the multiple tenant database;   providing an execution platform associated with the first account that has read access and write access to the source table; and   providing an execution platform associated with the second account that has read access to the materialized view.   
     
     
         35 . The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 34 , wherein:
 the execution platform associated with the first account is used for generating the materialized view; and   the execution platform associated with the first account is used for modifying the source table.   
     
     
         36 . The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 31 , further comprising defining view privileges for the cross-account access rights to the materialized view such that an underlying detail of the source table for the materialized view comprises a secure view definition, wherein the underlying detail of the source table comprises one or more of:
 a data field in the source table;   a column of data in the source table;   a structural element of the source table;   a quantity of data in the source table;   metadata for the source table; or   a transaction log of modifications made to the source table.   
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 36 , wherein defining the view privileges for the cross-account access rights to the materialized view comprises hiding the view privileges from the second account and making the view privileges visible to the first account. 
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 31 , further comprising defining a reference list comprising a list of one or more accounts that are eligible for receiving cross-account access rights to the materialized view. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 receiving a request from the second account to generate the materialized view from certain data stored in the source table;   providing the request to the first account for approval or denial; and   providing a notification to the second account indicating whether the request was approved or denied by the first account.   
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 31 , further comprising providing a notification to the second account indicating that the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table in response to identifying that the materialized view is stale with respect to the source table.