This enhancement to the Ingres database procedure language addresses the ability of Ingres to read and return to the caller multiple rows from a select statement.

With server-executed database procedures, the program logic of the procedure is executed entirely in the server address space. Multiple SQL DML requests are executed in a single invocation of the procedure, with only one interaction with the client application. The ability to process and return multiple “rows” of some composite data types with a single call to a server-resident database procedure adds to the potential for improved performance of an application.

In a typical computing environment with applications executing on a variety of computers throughout a network, this approach can significantly reduce the footprint of the client application and the traffic across the network.