Automated Physical Database Design and Tuning
By: Nicolas Bruno
About This Book
Due to the increasing complexity in application workloads and query engines, database administrators are turning to automated tuning tools that systematically explore the space of physical design alternatives. A critical element of such tuning is physical database design since the choice of physical structures has a significant impact on the performance of the database system. Automated Physical Database Design and Tuning presents a detailed overview of the fundamental ideas and algorithms for automatically recommending changes to the physical design of a database system. The first part of the book introduces the necessary technical background. The author explains SQL, the space of execution plans for answering SQL queries, query optimization, how the choice of access paths (e.g., indexes) is crucial to performance, and the complexity of the physical design problem. The second part extensively discusses automated physical design techniques, covering fundamental research ideas in the last 15 years that have resulted in a new generation of tuning tools. The text focuses on the search space of alternatives, the necessity of a cost model to compare such alternatives, different mechanisms to traverse and enumerate the search space, and practical aspects in real-world tuning tools. In the third part, the author explores new advances in automated physical design. He applies previous approaches to other physical structures, such as materialized views, partitioning, and multidimensional clustering. He also analyzes workload models for new types of applications, generalizes the optimizing function of current physical design tools to cope with other application scenarios, and examines open-ended challenges in physical database design. This book offers valuable insights on well-established principles and cutting-edge research results in automated physical design. It helps readers gain a deeper understanding of how automated tuning tools work in database installations as well as the challenges and opportunities involved in designing next-generation tuning tools.
AI Overview
The book "Automated Physical Database Design and Tuning" by Nicolas Bruno provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental ideas and algorithms for automatically recommending changes to the physical design of database systems. Here is a detailed summary of the key themes, plot summary, and critical reception:
Key Themes
Automated Tuning Tools: The book focuses on the use of automated systems for time-efficient database tuning. It explores how these tools systematically explore the space of physical design alternatives to optimize database performance.
Fundamental Research: The author presents a detailed overview of the fundamental research that makes it possible to automatically recommend changes to the physical design of database systems. This includes discussions on cost models, search spaces, and mechanisms to traverse and enumerate these spaces.
Practical Applications: The book emphasizes practical aspects in real-world tuning tools, including the use of database tuning advisors. It highlights the importance of what-if analysis in database tuning, moving away from purely theoretical approaches like linear programming.
New Advances: The third part of the book explores new advances in automated physical design. It applies previous approaches to other physical structures such as materialized views, partitioning, and multidimensional clustering. The author also analyzes workload models for new types of applications and generalizes the optimizing function of current physical design tools to cope with other application scenarios.
Plot Summary
The book is structured into three main parts:
- Introduction and Fundamentals: This section provides an overview of the imperative vs declarative search in C# vs SQL and the rationale for query optimizers. It sets the stage for understanding how automated tuning tools work.
- Automated Physical Design Techniques: This part extensively discusses automated physical design techniques, covering fundamental research ideas from the last 15 years. It delves into the search space of alternatives, the necessity of a cost model, and different mechanisms to traverse and enumerate the search space.
- New Advances and Challenges: The final part explores new advances in automated physical design. It applies previous approaches to other physical structures and analyzes workload models for new types of applications. The author also examines open-ended challenges in physical database design.
Critical Reception
The book has received positive reviews for its practical parts, which are beneficial for database tuning advisors. However, some critics have noted that the theoretical part can be too abstract and that in reality, tuning is more about what-if analysis rather than optimization based on linear programming.
Overall, the book is a valuable resource for database administrators and researchers looking to understand the principles and cutting-edge research results in automated physical design. It helps readers gain a deeper understanding of how automated tuning tools work in database installations and the challenges and opportunities involved in designing next-generation tuning tools.