Module 12a: Dynamic Hashing

Database System Concepts, 6th Ed.

©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
See www.db-book.com for conditions on re-use
 Dynamic Hashing
 Allows the hash function to be modified dynamically
 Extendable hashing – one form of dynamic hashing
 Hash function generates values over a large range — typically
b-bit integers, with b = 32.
 At any time only a prefix of the hash function is uded to index
into a table of bucket addresses.
 Let the length of the prefix be i bits, 0  i  31.

 Bucket address table size = 2i. Initially i = 0

Value of i grows and shrinks as the size of the database

grows and shrinks.
 Multiple entries in the bucket address table may point to the
same bucket.
 Thus, actual number of buckets is < 2i
 The number of buckets also changes dynamically due to
coalescing and splitting of buckets.

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.2 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 General Extendable Hash Structure
 In this structure each bucket hold 2 entries.

 i2 = i3 = i
 i1 = i – 1
 For entry 0 in ther bucket address table, number of pointers is i1 = i

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.3 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Use of Extendable Hash Structure

 Each bucket j is associated with a value ij

 All the entries in the bucket address table that point to the same
bucket have the same values on the first ij bits.
 To locate the bucket containing search-key K:
1. Compute h(K) = X
2. Use the first i high order bits of X as a displacement into bucket
address table, and follow the pointer to appropriate bucket
 To insert a record with search-key value K
 Follow same procedure as look-up and locate the bucket, say j.
 If there is room in the bucket j insert record in the bucket.
 Else, the bucket must be split and insertion re-attempted (see
next slide.)
 Overflow buckets used in some cases (will see shortly)

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.4 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Use of Extendable Hash Structure

 Each bucket j is associated with a value ij

 All the entries in the bucket address table that point to the same
bucket have the same values on the first ij bits.
 To locate the bucket containing search-key Kj:
1. Compute h(Kj) = X
2. Use the first i high order bits of X as a displacement into bucket
address table, and follow the pointer to appropriate bucket
 To insert a record with search-key value Kj
 Follow same procedure as look-up and locate the bucket, say j.
 If there is room in the bucket j insert record in the bucket.
 Else the bucket must be split and insertion re-attempted (see
next slide.)
 Overflow buckets used in some cases (will see shortly)

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.5 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Insertion in Extendable Hash Structure
Splitting a bucket j when inserting record with search-key value K:
 If i > ij (more than one pointer to bucket j)
Allocate a new bucket z, and set ij = iz = (ij + 1)
 Update the second half of the bucket address table entries
originally pointing to j, to point to z
 Remove each record in bucket j and reinsert (in j or z)
 Recompute new bucket for K and insert record in the bucket
(further splitting is required if the bucket is still full)
 If i = ij (only one pointer to bucket j)
 If i reaches some limit b, or too many splits have happened in
this insertion, create an overflow bucket
 Else
 Increment i and double the size of the bucket address table.
 Replace each entry in the table by two entries that point to the
same bucket.
 Recompute new bucket address table entry for K
Now i > ij so use the first case above.

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.6 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Deletion in Extendable Hash Structure

 To delete a key value,

 Locate it in its bucket and remove it.
 The bucket itself can be removed if it becomes empty (with
appropriate updates to the bucket address table).
 Coalescing of buckets can be done (can coalesce only with
a “buddy” bucket having same value of ij and same ij –1
prefix, if it is present)
 Decreasing bucket address table size is also possible
 Note: decreasing bucket address table size is an
expensive operation and should be done only if number
of buckets becomes much smaller than the size of the
table

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.7 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Use of Extendable Hash Structure: Example

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.8 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Example (Cont.)

 Initial hash structure; bucket size = 2

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.9 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Example (Cont.)

 Hash structure after insertion of the records “Mozart”, “Srinivasan”,

and “Wu”

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.10 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Use of Extendable Hash Structure: Example

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.11 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Example (Cont.)

 Hash structure after insertion of Einstein record

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.12 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Example (Cont.)
 Hash structure after insertion of Gold and El Said records

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.13 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Example (Cont.)
 Hash structure after insertion of Katz record

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.14 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Example (Cont.)

And after insertion of

eleven records

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.15 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Use of Extendable Hash Structure: Example

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.16 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Example (Cont.)

And after insertion of

Kim record in previous
hash structure

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.17 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
 Extendable Hashing vs. Other Schemes
 Benefits of extendable hashing:

Hash performance does not degrade with growth of file
 Minimal space overhead
 Disadvantages of extendable hashing
 Extra level of indirection to find desired record
 Bucket address table may itself become very big (larger than
memory)
 Cannot allocate very large contiguous areas on disk either
 Solution: B+-tree structure to locate desired record in bucket
address table

Changing size of bucket address table is an expensive
operation
 Linear hashing is an alternative mechanism
 Allows incremental growth of its directory (equivalent to bucket
address table)
 At the cost of more bucket overflows

Database System Concepts - 6th Edition 12.18 ©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
End of Module 12a

Database System Concepts, 6th Ed.

©Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan
See www.db-book.com for conditions on re-use