Data storage question

From: Nandakumar <N.Kumar_at_rocketmail.com>
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1999 22:36:41 GMT
Message-ID: <7pkl9o$hfp$1@nnrp1.deja.com>

Hi,

I need to store the attributes of an item in a table. The attributes are not pre-defined, but there is a maximum limit to the number of attributes, say 10. Initially there will only be "2" attributes that would be stored in database. Unknown attributes are stored as NULLs.

So i decide to go for a table with 10 varchar2 fields for the attributes.

Say, data are stored in this fashion in the database and the number of records has reached 5(or more) million.

Now, if i find out that there won't be any need to store more than "2" attributes in the table how bad is my design of the table. How much storage space would i have saved had i designed the table with just "2" varchar2 fields?

mmm! i hear you all say this is an one line question!! Thanks
--
Nandakumar
Systems Analyst
New York
(N.Kumar_at_rocketmail.com)

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Share what you know. Learn what you don't. Received on Fri Aug 20 1999 - 17:36:41 CDT