Re: Lock-free databases

From: Mark D Powell <Mark.Powell_at_eds.com>
Date: 4 Nov 2005 07:37:13 -0800
Message-ID: <1131118633.320763.200400@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>

If there is any mechanism in the db that single thread access to data such as not allowing two processes to change a data item at the same time then the db is not "lock" free. The vendor can call the mechanism latches or enqueues or anything else but the reality is that the mechanism is a lock.

In fact Oracle uses all three terms. A lock, latch, and an enqueue all serve the same purpose: single thread access to something. With Oracle the difference is what that something is, and how the mechanism is implemented. Unless the db is read only I do not see how a db can be "lock free". I do not think the claim is honest.

IMHO -- Mark D Powell -- Received on Fri Nov 04 2005 - 09:37:13 CST