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Data & Analytics · Intermediate

Vertical Partitioning

Splitting a table by columns into separate tables that share the primary key.

Definition

Vertical partitioning isolates large, rarely used or sensitive columns, which reduces I/O for common queries and allows separate security. Columnar storage is an extreme form of vertical partitioning.

Example

Moving a large ProfilePhoto column into a separate CustomerPhotos table.

Exam tip

Separating sensitive columns into their own table with tighter permissions is a vertical partitioning use case.

Related terms