Databases & Data Storage
Partitioning
Definition
Partitioning is the process of dividing a large database table into smaller, more manageable pieces, called partitions. However, the data is still stored on a single database server. The database still treats the table as a single logical entity.
Why It Matters
Partitioning can improve query performance and manageability for very large tables. By splitting the table, queries that only need data from one partition can run much faster because they don't have to scan the entire table.
Contextual Example
A table of sales data could be partitioned by month. When you run a query to get the sales for just the month of June, the database only needs to look at the June partition, ignoring the data for all other months.
Common Misunderstandings
- Partitioning is different from sharding. Partitioning splits a table on a single server, while sharding splits a table across multiple servers.
- It is a common technique for managing large tables in data warehouses.