Whitepaper : The Keys to a High-Performing Database

Performance is one of the most critical characteristics of enterprise databases and their associated applications. The inability to meet performance expectations can doom an otherwise excellent solution to failure. Internal systems will suffer from misuse and poorly performing public database applications may drive current and prospective customers to search for alternatives.

It can be challenging to design, implement, and maintain a high-performing database. In this whitepaper, we will be discussing performance best practices used during system development, and after the database goes into production. In some cases, we will use examples of recommended guidelines for specific database platforms like SQL Server. The standards apply to other databases in the same class. Methods that are useful for one flavor of a relational database will usually work for others with some minor variations.

The decisions made in the planning, design, and development of a database have a tremendous impact on the functionality of the finished product. Performance optimization can be performed after database applications have been implemented, but it is more productive to address as many issues as possible before the system goes live. Changes in usage patterns and the computing environment may necessitate performance tuning throughout the life of a database.

The whitepaper discusses:

• data structure and database selection
• hardware choices are critical to performance (storage, device type, storage capacity, memory and CPU)
• network considerations
• coding and query optimization (optimize indexes, minimize SQL statement parsing, process multiple rows)
• keep database files on separate disks
• using the most recent database version
• use native database features

Presenter: Robert Agar

Robert Agar spent a long and diverse career specializing in data backup, recovery, and compliance among other areas of the IT world. Tired of being woken up at all hours to provide support, he embarked on a new career as a freelance writer focusing on various areas of the tech sector. Outside interests include music, sports, and poker. He shares his home office with two green-cheeked conures who suggest topics and engage in the occasional proofreading exercise.