What technique is used to convert record updates into insert statements in the delta buffer?

The technique of converting record updates into insert statements in the delta buffer is known as "insert-only." This approach simplifies the management of updates by treating them as new entries rather than trying to modify existing records. In SAP HANA, the delta buffer is designed to be an append-only structure that efficiently handles data modifications by converting updates into new rows that reflect the changes.

By utilizing an insert-only mechanism, the system can maintain a clear audit trail of changes, which supports both performance and efficient access patterns. This technique allows for rapid ingestion of data, as it minimizes the overhead associated with traditional update operations. Instead of updating existing records and potentially requiring locks or other complexities associated with modifying data, the system simply adds new entries that represent the updated states. This enhances performance, especially in environments with frequent data modifications.

The other methods mentioned, such as sorted inserts, parallelism, and unsorted inserts, either do not specifically address the conversion of updates into insert statements or pertain to different aspects of data processing in the SAP HANA system, which makes them less relevant regarding the question.