How do timestamp ordering and MVCC differ in database management?

How do timestamp ordering and MVCC differ in database management?

Timestamp ordering is a concurrency control method that uses timestamps to determine the order of transactions, while MVCC (Multi-Version Concurrency Control) allows multiple versions of data to exist, enabling transactions to read a snapshot of the database at a point in time.

Can you explain how MVCC handles concurrent transactions?

MVCC allows transactions to access different versions of data without locking, which means they can read the state of the database as it was at the start of the transaction, thus reducing contention and improving performance.

What are the advantages of using MVCC over timestamp ordering?

MVCC generally offers better performance in high-concurrency environments, as it minimizes locking and allows for greater parallelism. It also helps avoid issues like deadlocks that can occur with timestamp ordering.

Are there any downsides to using MVCC?

Yes, MVCC can lead to increased storage requirements due to multiple versions of data being kept, and it may also complicate garbage collection processes to clean up old versions.