Each database table has an associated subtable that contains the table header (table metadata). One copy of the table header is stored on each AMP that stores rows of the table. The map associated with the table at the time the table was created or altered specifies which AMPs store the table rows.
Vantage uses table headers internally to maintain information about each table. Table headers used to store value-compressed column values (see Compression Types Supported by Vantage).
The size limit for a table header is 1 MB, so you cannot create a table defined with all possible features (maximum numbers of columns, indexes, and compressed values) without exceeding the defined byte limit. The maxima stated in Teradata System Limits are for the table parameters only.
See Base Table Row Format for a description of row headers.