Teradata Architecture Flashcards

What is the primary component in Teradata architecture that manages parsing and optimizing SQL queries?

Answer: Parsing Engine (PE)

The Parsing Engine receives SQL requests, parses them, optimizes the query plan, and dispatches tasks to the AMPs.

What is the role of the BYNET in a Teradata system?

Answer: Provides high-speed communication between nodes

BYNET is Teradata's high-speed interconnect that enables communication between Parsing Engines and AMPs across nodes.

Which Teradata component is responsible for storing and retrieving data on disk?

Answer: Access Module Processor (AMP)

AMPs manage the physical storage of data on disk and perform all data retrieval, sorting, and aggregation operations.

In Teradata, what determines which AMP stores a particular row of data?

Answer: The hash value of the Primary Index

Teradata applies a hashing algorithm to the Primary Index value of each row to determine which AMP will store that row.

What is a Vproc in Teradata architecture?

Answer: A virtual processor that maps to either a PE or AMP

A Vproc (virtual processor) is a software process in Teradata that functions as either a Parsing Engine or an AMP, mapped to physical hardware.

Which Teradata feature allows multiple hardware nodes to work together as a single logical system?

Answer: Massively Parallel Processing (MPP)

Teradata's MPP architecture links multiple nodes together so they operate as one unified system with shared workloads.