The design of a rotating associative array memory for a relational data base management application
There are significant advantages to tailoring hardware storage devices to support high level data models in very large data bases. A storage device that can assume some of the data selection functions traditionally performed by the CPU can substantially reduce the amount of data to be transferred to the CPU. This reduction together with increased concurrency of CPU and device operation result in increased data rates and lower response times. By designing the device to support one specific data model, greater efficiency can be achieved than in devices designed to be a compromise in their support of several different models. The number and complexity of the functions performed by the device can be drastically reduced, along with its development and production costs. In this paper we describe the design and usage of an associative array memory using a rotating storage device which is tailored to support the relational model of E.F. Codd.