Databank system with methods for efficiently storing non-uniform data

Abstract

System and methods are described for efficient storage and processing of non-uniform data records. An exemplary embodiment includes a Databank system having a Database Engine, a Database Engine API (Application Program Interface), a Databank Engine, a Databank Engine Class Interface, and a Databank (storage). The Databank storage itself comprises a Descriptor Table (Form Definition) and a Data Repository. The Descriptor Table comprises a plurality of field descriptors for characterizing user information stored in the Databank. The Data Repository, on the other hand, stores the actual data from the non-uniform data records. It comprises 'static' fields and a 'dynamic' field. The static fields store core fields necessary for characterizing each data record (irrespective of what type of information a given data record stores). User data are stored in a structured, pre-defined manner using logical fields (or 'subfields') of the dynamic field. The system correctly interprets the dynamic contents based on the information stored in the descriptors. Methods are described for storing and retrieving information from the Databank in a manner which is transparent to clients, thus allowing the Databank subsystem to easily replace existing storage subsystems.