Dynamic Cluster Table Structure

The SPD Server dynamic cluster table is considered part of a hierarchy of tables with increasing sophistication.

SAS Table, SPD Server Table, and SPD Server Dynamic Cluster Table Structures

Traditional SAS tables are single files that contain data descriptors and table data. Data values are columns, and datadescriptors are metadata that describe the column and data formatting that the table uses. If a traditional SAS table contains one or more indexes, they are stored in a separate file.
SPD Server tables use component files to store tables. One component file stores the stream of data values. Another component file stores the column and data descriptors. If you create an index for a column or a composite of columns, SPD Server creates two separate component files (a *.hbx file and a *.idx file) for each index.
SPD Server dynamic cluster tables are virtual table structures. SPD Server dynamic cluster tables consist of members. Each member is an SPD Server table. All members must share the same metadata formats and organization. SPD Server dynamic cluster tables use the metadata to manage the data that is contained in the members.

The SPD Server dynamic cluster table structure provides architecture that enables flexible loading and rapid storage and processing for very large data tables. Using dynamic cluster tables, loading data, removing data, and refreshing tables in very large data marts become easier and more timely. Dynamic cluster tables provide organizational features and performance benefits that traditional SAS tables and SPD Server tables do not have.