US Patent 8161001 Relational database page-level schema transformations

Methods, devices and systems which facilitate the conversion of database objects from one schema version (e.g., an earlier version) to another schema version (e.g., a newer version) without requiring the objects be unloaded and reloaded are described. In general, data object conversion applies to both table space objects and index space objects. The described transformation techniques may be used to convert any object whose schema changes occur at the page-level.