Brief table description list offered to review

I have been working with Drupal for a wile and was a big pleasure.

Finally I found the project and time to build a multisite installation but when I started to reflect about what tables to share, except of http://drupal.org/node/22754 I didn't find much information about drupal's tables so I did my own documentation.

It's not very much precise, but hopefully enough to get an idea of the whole picture.

I will post it as .ods or .xls files (easier to sort) as soon as I finish reinstalling my testing server, but until then, here you have an standard CSV that you can import in your favorite spreadsheet application:

"TABLE","MODULE","CORE","DESCRIPTION","MULTISITE (if you want different sites with same/shared...)","If shared, requires to share the following “packs”... (underconstruction)","Scenario 1: Single sign on","Scenario 2: Content base","Scenario 3: Multilang interface","Scenario 4:
My research groups","x = shared
o = optional
NEVER... is NEVER :-)"
"access","user","x","User's access privileges","Users",,"x",,,,"access"
"accesslog","statistics","x","User's access registering","Statistics",,,,,,"accesslog"
"actions","actions",,"Node related actions","Actions",,,,,"x","actions"
"actions_registry","actions",,"Node related actions registering","Watchdog",,,,,"x","actions_registry"
"aggregator_category","aggregator","x","Categories for feeds aggregator blocks","Aggregator's categories",,,"x",,"x","aggregator_category"
"aggregator_category_feed","aggregator","x","Relation between feeds and categories on feeds","Aggregator's categories",,,"x",,"x","aggregator_category_feed"
"aggregator_category_item","aggregator","x","Relation between items and categories on feeds","Aggregator's categories",,,"x",,"x","aggregator_category_item"
"aggregator_item","aggregator","x","Content of the feeds' items","Feeds content",,,"x",,"x","aggregator_item"
"authmap","user","x","Module access privileges","Privileges (on modules)",,"x",,,,"authmap"
"biblio","biblio",,"Bibliography's content (biblio nodes)","Bibliography content",,,"x",,,"biblio"
"biblio_author_index","biblio",,"Bibliography's index of authors","Bibliography content",,,"x",,,"biblio_author_index"
"biblio_fields","biblio",,"Bibliography's fields extensions","Bibliography types",,,"x",,"x","biblio_fields"
"biblio_type","biblio",,"Bibliography's node types","Bibliography types",,,"x",,"x","biblio_type"
"biblio_type_details","biblio",,"Bibliography's node details","Bibliography types",,,"x",,"x","biblio_type_details"
"blocks","block","x","Blocks information (module, theme, region, pages, title, status...)","Blocks",,,,,,"blocks"
"blocks_roles","block","x","Relations between roles and modules on blocks","Blocks",,,,,,"blocks_roles"
"book","book","x","Books hierarchy of nodes","Book's hierarchy","Book's nodes/content",,"x",,,"book"
"boxes","drupal","x","User defined custom blocks",,,,,,,"boxes"
"cache","drupal","x","Caches rendered nodes","NOT SHARABLE",,"NEVER","NEVER","NEVER","NEVER","cache"
"cache_filter","filter","x","Caches filtered rendered nodes?","NOT SHARABLE",,"NEVER","NEVER","NEVER","NEVER","cache_filter"
"cache_menu","drupal","x","Caches rendered menus","NOT SHARABLE",,"NEVER","NEVER","NEVER","NEVER","cache_menu"
"cache_page","drupal","x","Caches rendered pages","NOT SHARABLE",,"NEVER","NEVER","NEVER","NEVER","cache_page"
"cache_views","views",,"Caches rendered views","NOT SHARABLE",,"NEVER","NEVER","NEVER","NEVER","cache_views"
"client","drupal","x","? (from Pro Drupal Development, but don't appear in my 5.1)",,,,,,,"client"
"client_system","drupal","x","? (from Pro Drupal Development, but don't appear in my 5.1)",,,,,,,"client_system"
"comments","comment","x","Content and metadata of every node comment","Comments","Content",,"x",,,"comments"
"contact","contact","x","User's contact form","Users (contact)","Users",,,,,"contact"
"content_field_*","cck",,"Stores multivalue cck fields' content","Content types (content)",,,"x",,"o","content_field_*"
"content_type_*","cck",,"Stores extra data added to cck created nodes","Content types (content)","content_field_*, node",,"x",,"o","content_type_*"
"devel_queries","devel",,"Stores information about drupal internal queries","Watchdog (developers)",,,,,,"devel_queries"
"devel_times","devel",,"Stores queries execution times","Watchdog (developers)",,,,,,"devel_times"
"file_revisions","upload","x","References formerly upload but “overwriten” documents","File space",,,"x",,,"file_revisions"
"files","upload","x","References to uploaded document (including path)","File space",,,"x",,,"files"
"filter_formats","filter","x","Relation between filters and roles","Filters",,"x","x","x","x","filter_formats"
"filters","filter","x","Relation between filters and modules","Filters",,"x","x","x","x","filters"
"flood","contact","x","?",,,,,,,"flood"
"forum","forum","x","Relations between nodes and versions on forums","Forum",,,"x",,,"forum"
"history","node","x","Node authorship and modification time","Content",,,"x",,,"history"
"i18n_blocks","i18n",,"Multilingual block name and delta","Content translation (on blocks)",,,,,,"i18n_blocks"
"i18n_blocks_i18n","i18n",,"Multilingual block references to “normal” blocks depending on languages","Content translation (on blocks)",,,,,,"i18n_blocks_i18n"
"i18n_node","i18n",,"Relation between nodes and node-translations depending on languages","Content translation",,,,,,"i18n_node"
"i18n_profile_fields","i18n",,"Translation of profile fields","Interface translation",,,,"x","x","i18n_profile_fields"
"i18n_strings","i18n",,"Content type translations","Interface translation",,,,,"x","i18n_strings"
"i18n_variable","i18n",,"Translation of drupal's variables","Interface/Content translation",,"never?","never?","never?","never?","i18n_variable"
"locales_meta","locale","x","Detailed list of “interface strings” that need to be translated ","Interface translation",,,,"x","x","locales_meta"
"locales_source","locale","x","Reference to the .po files of each language","Interface translation",,,,"x","x","locales_source"
"locales_target","locale","x","List of translated strings for each language","Interface translation content",,,,"x","x","locales_target"
"menu","menu","x","Menu content, weight and paths","Menu content",,,"x",,,"menu"
"menu_stp_roles","menu_stp","x","Relation between roles and menu items","Menu",,,,,,"menu_stp_roles"
"node","node","x","Node essential data (id, type, title, status...)","Content",,,"x",,,"node"
"node_access","node","x","Node access privileges (gid, realm, grant_*)","Privileges (on nodes)",,,,,,"node_access"
"node_comment_statistics","comment","x","Last comment and comment's counter by node","Statistics",,,"x",,,"node_comment_statistics"
"node_counter","statistics","x","Statistics about node access","Statistics",,,"x",,,"node_counter"
"node_field","cck?",,"?",,,,,,"?","node_field"
"node_field_instance","cck?",,"?",,,,,,"?","node_field_instance"
"node_group","cck?",,"?",,,,,,"?","node_group"
"node_group_fields","cck?",,"?",,,,,,"?","node_group_fields"
"node_revisions","node","x","Archive old versions of modified nodes","Revisions","Content",,"x",,,"node_revisions"
"node_type","node","x","Node content types","Content types",,,"x",,,"node_type"
"permission","user","x","Relation between user's permissions and realms","Privileges",,,,,,"permission"
"poll","poll","x","Status and duration time of a poll","Poll",,,,,,"poll"
"poll_choices","poll","x","Choices of a poll","Poll content","Poll",,,,,"poll_choices"
"poll_votes","poll","x","Votes of user's in a poll","Poll content","Poll",,,,,"poll_votes"
"profile_fields","profile","x","Data associated with a profile field, that is related with users","Users (profiles)",,"o",,"x","x","profile_fields"
"profile_values","profile","x","Values if any profile field is added","Users (profiles)","Users","o",," ",,"profile_values"
"role","user","x","Role names and id","Users (roles)",,"x",,,"x","role"
"search_dataset","search","x","Searchable terms of each node","Search content","Content",,"x",,,"search_dataset"
"search_index","search","x","Search index of terms","Search content","Content",,"x",,,"search_index"
"search_total","search","x","Word counting for the searcher","Search","Content",,"x",,,"search_total"
"sequences","drupal","x","?",,,"x",,,,"sequences"
"sessions","drupal","x","Stores user's sessions between logins","Users",,"o",,,,"sessions"
"system","drupal","x","Drupal's internal table about it's files status, throttle, versioning...","Drupal",,,,,,"system"
"term_data","taxonomy","x","List of terms in a taxonomy","Taxonomy content",,,"x",,"o","term_data"
"term_hierarchy","taxonomy","x","Taxonomy hierarchy between terms","Taxonomy","Taxonomy",,"x",,"o","term_hierarchy"
"term_node","taxonomy","x","Relation between terms and nodes","Taxonomy","Taxonomy",,"x",,"o","term_node"
"term_relation","taxonomy","x","Relation between related terms","Taxonomy","Taxonomy",,"x",,"o","term_relation"
"term_synonym","taxonomy","x","Synonyms of terms","Taxonomy","Taxonomy",,"x",,"o","term_synonym"
"tinymce_role","tinymce",,"Relation between tinymce settings name and a role","Tinymce",,,,,"x","tinymce_role"
"tinymce_settings","tinymce",,"Set of buttons and features packed under a settings' name","Tinymce",,,,,"x","tinymce_settings"
"url_alias","path","x","List of path and alias","Path",,,"x",,,"url_alias"
"users","user","x","User's data (username, pass, mail, status, picture...)","Users","Users","x",,,,"users"
"users_roles","user","x","Relation between user's and roles","Users (roles)","Users","x",,,,"users_roles"
"variable","drupal","x","Drupal's internal variables (theme, modules, ...)","NOT SHARABLE",,"NEVER","NEVER","NEVER","NEVER","variable"
"view_argument","views",,"List of arguments of a view","Views",,,,,"x","view_argument"
"view_exposed_filter","views",,"List of fields that will be “searchables” in a view","Views",,,,,"x","view_exposed_filter"
"view_filter","views",,"List of fields that will “filter” a view","Views",,,,,"x","view_filter"
"view_sort","views",,"List of fields that will “sort” a view","Views",,,,,"x","view_sort"
"view_tablefield","views",,"List of fields that will head a “table view”","Views",,,,,"x","view_tablefield"
"view_view","views",,"Main table in views, with details about how to show a list of nodes","Views",,,,,"x","view_view"
"vocabulary","taxonomy","x","Taxonomy description (name, type, multiple, required...)","Taxonomy content",,,"x",,"o","vocabulary"
"vocabulary_node_types","taxonomy","x","List of types of taxonomies (forum, event, weblinks...)","Taxonomy","Taxonomy",,"x",,"o","vocabulary_node_types"
"watchdog","watchdog","x","Detailed log of your drupal","Watchdog",,,,,,"watchdog"

Scenarios:

Scenario 1:“Single sign on”
Share only user accounts and logins, but not the permissions nor the content.
Suggested by sime at: http://drupal.org/node/22267
An extended suggestion: http://drupal.org/node/2622",,,,,,

Scenario 2:“Content base”
Share content (nodes, feeds, taxonomies) but not users, permissions or interface.
Share the user account and all permissions, but not content"
Comment: Not tested on real site.

Scenario 3:“Multi language interface”
Share interface translations, but not users or content
Comment: Not tested on real site yet.

Scenario 4:“My research groups”
Share interface, taxonomies, and an specific cck content type, but not users and “classic” nodes.
Tested at this moment at: http://psicologiasocial.uab.es/dehisi

References:

“Pro Drupal Development” 2007, John K.Vandyk and Westgate, Apress.
"Database dictionary" at http://drupal.org/node/22754 (Comment: sorry, for the differences, but I found this link when I finished mine.)
"Share tables across instances" at http://drupal.org/node/22267
"Drupal Multisite Configurations and Hosts" at http://www.contractwebdevelopment.com/drupal-multisite-configurations-an...
"Define shared variables for all sites" at http://drupal.org/node/70472

Further reading and ideas:

"Multi-site use with only one contentbase" at http://drupal.org/node/127121
"How to: Multi-site with Views, all tables shared" at http://drupal.org/node/131036
"Playing with mysql5 views to separate content" at http://drupal.org/node/59309
"HOWTO: Write an installation profile for the Drupal installer" at http://drupal.org/node/67921

May be the best support for this information is a wiki where everybody could comment and modify... but I don't know about any official drupal wiki and books are not much collaborative, so feel free to modify to improve answering this post or just suggest a better method to collaborate.

The part I think could be more interesting to share is the one I called "Scenarios". Would be nice to know what combination of tables you need to share if you like to develop a multisite with shared content, shared users or whatever.

As soon as it will be reviewed by experts quite I'm sure could be a valuable resource for everybody interested in drupal multisites or just for thus that are trying to understand what happens behind the curtains.