1. A method for performing database table updates, the method comprising: receiving, by a computer, a query for updating a table in a database; responsive to a storage space needed for storing a transaction log associated with the query exceeding a pre-determined threshold, dividing the query into a set of sub-queries by: identifying partitions in the table; and for each partition: determining if a storage space needed for storing a transaction log associated with a sub-query corresponding to the partition exceeds the pre-determined threshold; if not, processing the sub-query corresponding to the partition; and if so, dividing the partition into multiple subsets such that a storage space needed for storing a transaction log associated with each sub-query corresponding to a subset is less than the pre-determined threshold.