Technical Perspective for Skeena: Efficient and Consistent Cross-Engine Transactions

Abstract

The paper proposes a solution to the problem of inadequate support for transactions in multi-engine database systems. Multi-engine database systems are databases that integrate new (fast) memory-optimized storage engines with (slow) traditional engines, allowing the application to use tables in both engines. Multi-engine database systems are in particular interesting for traditional database systems that are extended over time. By being able to store tables in slow and fast storage engines and executing transactions cross engines allows to reduce overall cost since less performance critical tables can be placed in slow (and thus cheaper) storage. As