Chapter 12

Tree Structured Indexing

Indexed Sequential Access (ISAM) B+ Trees

Node Structure Search Insert Delete

Introduction

Why do we need tree indexes? To reduce the time taken to search for a record. Consider a query "Find all students who have got attendance less than 70%". In order to find the records, we must first employ a binary search and scan the file from that point. Instead, indexing can be used. Keep a second file index file with <first key on page, pointer to page>. Since the size of the index file is small searching the first page may become fast. This concept can be further extended recursively (several levels) which leads to tree indexes.

Index Sequential Access Method (ISAM)

ISAM is a static index structure effective when frequent updates are not done. Unsuitable for frequent growth / shrink of files. ISAM Structure:

Each tree node is a disk page. All the data resides in the leaf pages. When the file is created, all leaf pages are allocated sequentially and sorted on the search key value. Overflow pages may be created, if needed.

Example

Non-leaf Pages

Data Pages

Overflow Pages

Sample ISAM Tree

40 51 63

20 33

10 15

20 27

33 37

40 46

51 55

63 97

23

B+ trees are dynamic structures. It is a balanced tree. The leaf nodes contain the data pages and the internal nodes are to guide the search. A 50% occupancy in each node with no overflow pages. Searching for record is to traverse the tree from root to the leaf node. d order of the tree and every node contains m entries. Or, d m 2d. Suppose, if d = 2, then each node can have 2 to 4 entries. For root node: 1 m 2d

B+ Trees

Example - Find
13 17
19
14 16

24
20 22
24

30

33 27 29

34

38

39

Key = 5 Left-most pointer. Key = 15 Second pointer from left. But, key not found. Key = 24 Fourth pointer and the key is found

INSERT

Every data value must exist at the leaf level However, only some values exist in internal nodes to guide the search

INSERT: Example-1
Assume: m = 2. That is, we can have a maximum of 1 to 2 keys in each node. All leaf nodes are connected as a doubly linked list (not shown in the figure). Insert sequence:

8, 5, 1, 7, 3, 12, 9, 6 5 5 8

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) Insert 8 and 5: (2) Insert 1 (Overflow of root)

Insert sequence: 8, 5, 1, 7, 3, 12, 9, 6

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(3) Insert 7:

5 1 5 7 8

(4) Insert 3:

3 1 3 5

5
7 8

Insert sequence: 8, 5, 1, 7, 3, 12, 9, 6

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(5) Insert 12:

5 3 8 5 7 8 12

(6) Insert 9: Simply insert into the node containing key value 12. (7) Insert 6: 5

3
1 3 5

7 6 7
8

8
9 12

Example - Delete
(1) Key = 19: No need for adjustment (2) Key = 20: Redistribute (22, 24) and (27, 29) (3) Key = 24: Merge (22) and (27, 29) yielding (22, 27, 29)

17
5 13 24 30

14

16

19 20 22

24

27

29

33

34

38

39

Example Delete
(3) Key = 24: Merge (22) and (27, 29) yielding (22, 27, 29) Partial tree showing deletion of 24.

17
5 13 30

14

16

22 27 29

33

34

38

39

Final tree after deleting key 24.

5
2 3 5 7 8

13

17

30

14

16

22 27 29

33

34

38

39