To design a schema for hierarchical data in Azure Table Storage, consider the following approach:
1. Utilize PartitionKey and RowKey: PartitionKey represents the higher-level hierarchy while RowKey represents lower levels.
2. Choose meaningful keys: Select appropriate values for PartitionKey and RowKey to ensure efficient querying and sorting.
3. Use delimiter-separated strings: For deeper hierarchies, concatenate multiple levels using delimiters (e.g., ‘/’) within RowKey.
4. Implement parent-child relationships: Store references to parent entities within child entities’ properties if needed for traversal.
5. Optimize queries: Design your schema to support typical query patterns, minimizing cross-partition queries and full table scans.
6. Consider scalability: Ensure that partition sizes remain manageable by distributing data across multiple partitions when necessary.
