SpeicherEngine

SpeicherEngine is a high-performance in-memory storage engine designed for use with relational database systems that expose a pluggable storage architecture. The name, derived from the German word for memory, emphasizes its primary role of keeping hot data in RAM to minimize I/O latency and maximize throughput.

Techniques common to SpeicherEngine include a memory-centric data layout, a partitioned or segmented memory allocator, and multi-threaded access with fine-grained locking or lock-free data structures. The engine is designed to minimize allocations during hot paths and to support concurrent scans, writes, and index maintenance without compromising latency.

Data is stored primarily in RAM, with optional durability through write-ahead logging, periodic snapshots, and support for persistent memory. SpeicherEngine offers transaction semantics, typically via MVCC and snapshot isolation, ensuring atomic commits and consistent reads even under high concurrency. Indexes include in-memory B-trees and hash structures, with adaptive caching policies.

Compatibility and use include tight integration with database systems that permit custom storage engines. SpeicherEngine can replace or augment existing engines for workloads demanding low latency and real-time analytics, such as user-facing transactions and streaming data. Deployment considerations include memory sizing, failure recovery strategies, and the cost of maintaining long-lived in-memory structures.

While fast, SpeicherEngine trades capacity for speed and relies on sufficient RAM and robust persistence to prevent data loss. The engine is commonly used in scenarios requiring sub-millisecond latencies and high query concurrency, and it is evaluated alongside traditional on-disk engines to balance durability, capacity, and performance.