Patent attributes
Systems, methods, and devices for automated maintenance of external tables in database systems are disclosed. A method includes receiving, by a database platform, read access to content in an external data storage platform that is separate from the database platform. The method includes defining an external table based on the content in the external data storage platform. The method includes connecting the database platform to the external table such that the database platform has read access for the external table and does not have write access for the external table. The method includes generating metadata for the external table, the metadata comprising information about data stored in the external table. The method includes receiving a notification that a modification has been made to the content in the external data storage platform, the modification comprising one or more of an addition of a file, a deletion of a file, or an update to a file in a source location for the external table. The method includes refreshing the metadata for the external table in response to the modification being made to the content in the external data storage platform.