Talk:Google OS

Group 3: Bigtable

Questions from: Group 1, GFS

  1. How is Bigtable like/unlike a relational database?

  ans. Bigtable is unlike a relational database because:
             - It stores data in SSTables, which are not in proper relational form.
             - A tablet can store multiple versions of the same data based on timestamps.
             - The language used to query Bigtable does not support a full relational database functionality.
       Bigtable is like a relational database because:
             - Server side scripts can be used to filter results similar to some sql queries.

  2. What is the role of SSTable in Bigtable?
  
  ans. It is a model for formating data.

  3. For the webTable, why are domain names stored in reverse order?

  ans. The domain names are stored in reverse order to increase efficiency of a query.

  4. How did Bigtable use Chubby?

  ans. The master server uses Chubby to track tablet servers. 

Questions from Group2, Chubby

  1. Why did they not implement the full relational model?

  ans. They did not need a full relational model. They only implemented what they thought they needed at the time.

  2. When could major compaction occur? 

  ans. Major compaction could occur when two tables are the same, but stored differently, or when there are lots of gaps due to row deletions.

  3. How does Bigtable handle fine-grained locking?

  ans.

  4. What are the similarities in the architecture between GFS and Bigtable?

  ans. They are similar in master selection and the use of Chubby.