Proxy tables

Location transparency of remote data is enabled by creating a local proxy table that maps to the remote object. You can use a proxy table to access any object (including tables, views, and materialized views) that the remote database exports as a candidate for a proxy table. Use one of the following statements to create a proxy table:

• If the table already exists at the remote storage location, use the CREATE EXISTING TABLE statement. This statement defines the proxy table for an existing table on the remote server.

• If the table does not exist at the remote storage location, use the CREATE TABLE statement. This statement creates a new table on the remote server, and also defines the proxy table for that table.

• Proxy table locations
  The AT keyword is used with both the CREATE TABLE and the CREATE EXISTING TABLE statements to define the location of an existing object. This location string has four components, each separated by either a period or a semicolon. The semicolon delimiter allows file names and extensions to be used in the database and owner fields.
• Creating proxy tables (SQL)
  You can create proxy tables in Interactive SQL using either the CREATE TABLE or CREATE EXISTING TABLE statement.
• List the columns on a remote table
  Before you execute a CREATE EXISTING TABLE statement, it may be helpful to get a list of the columns that are available on a remote table. The sp_remote_columns system procedure produces a list of the columns on a remote table and a description of those data types. The following is the syntax for the sp_remote_columns system procedure: