Constraints that restrict how corresponding identifiable groups of files are stored in a database, are enforced on corresponding file data. In response to a query on any data from an identifiable group of files, the effect of the constraint on how the corresponding data is stored is determined. The original query is rewritten, based on the effect of the constraint, so that the rewritten query is directed to a particular subset of the data stored in the database. Consequently, the search space is restricted to an identifiable subset of the database and execution of the rewritten query is more efficient than execution of the original query.