Configuring and Tuning Databases on the Solaris Platform [Paperback]

Allan N. Packer (Author), Sun Microsystems Press (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 6, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0130834173 | ISBN-13: 978-0130834171 | Edition: 1

Using this book, database professionals can dramatically improve the performance and cost-effectiveness of virtually any database application running on the SolarisA (R) platform. Solaris database optimization specialist Allan Packer presents start-to-finish guidance on optimizing all four leading Solaris databases: Oracle, DB2, Sybase, and Informix. Configuring and Tuning Databases on the Solaris Platform brings together best-practice guidelines for every aspect of database tuning on Sun servers. Drawing on years of expertise as a Sun consultant, Packer presents detailed recommendations for data layout, CPU and memory configuration, and system sizing. He introduces a systematic, drill-down monitoring approach designed to help database professionals identify and resolve system bottlenecks that inhibit database performance. Packer demystifies database tuning by providing a quick primer that explains database architecture, key database concepts, and how to use key subsystems such as query optimizers and buffer cache. He describes and critiques each leading database benchmark, offering guidance for using benchmarks -- and not misusing them.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

• Turbocharge your Oracle, DB2, Sybase, or Informix database environment!
• Covers every aspect of database and Solaris Operating Environment tuning
• Optimize data layout, CPU and memory configuration, and system sizing
• Identify and resolve bottlenecks, step-by-step
• Understand industry-leading benchmarks

Maximize the performance of any enterprise database running on the Solaris Operating Environment!

Using this book, database professionals can optimize the performance and cost-effectiveness of virtually any database application running on the Solaris platform. Database specialist Allan Packer presents start-to-finish guidance for optimizing all four leading Solaris platform databases: Oracle (including Oracle9i), DB2, Sybase, and Informix XPS. Drawing on years of expertise as an engineer at Sun, Packer brings together best-practice guidelines for every aspect of Sun database server tuning.

• Optimizing data layout, CPU and memory configuration, and system sizing
• Identifying and resolving bottlenecks: a systematic, drill-down monitoring approach
• Understanding database optimizers, database buffer cache, and other key subsystems
• Demystifying the industry's leading benchmarks-and recognizing their limitations
• Understanding the impact of Java technology on database application design
• Contains a quick primer on database architecture and concepts

About the Author

ALLAN PACKER is a Senior Staff Engineer with the Performance and Availability Engineering Group at Sun Microsystems. He has developed workloads for performance and regression testing, led the engineering team working with IBM DB2, acted as technical lead for nine published TPC benchmark results, and developed a training curriculum for the internal training organization focused on configuring, monitoring and tuning database systems. He currently specializes in server systems performance and availability.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 552 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 1 edition (December 6, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130834173
• ISBN-13: 978-0130834171
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,790,951 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #58 in Books > Computers & Technology > Operating Systems > Solaris

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Once in a bluemoon a classic is born!, June 17, 2002

By 

Guy Bourdon (Ottawa Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Configuring and Tuning Databases on the Solaris Platform (Paperback)

This book doesn't belong on your bookshelf it belongs on your desk beside your workstation. Mr. Packer's clarity, conciseness and comprehensiveness in his coverage of a complex topic is a tour de force that few technical writers are able to achieve these days. Written for an intelligent reader in mind, the subject matter is explained simply, directly and elegantly. No profusions of analogies, this author knows what he's talking about and he can explain it.

The organization of the chapters is first-rate. You can get to the heart of the matter with a quick glance at the table of content. The indexing is excellent. I'm amazed that I can find an entry for most of the topics I'm looking up. It has become my first point of reference for configuration and tuning issues.

Do yourself a favour, BUY IT! I'm already looking forward to the second edition of this masterpiece.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, but, February 11, 2008

By 

Carl Kayser (Arlington, Va) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Configuring and Tuning Databases on the Solaris Platform (Paperback)

it's about time for a new edition. Since 2002 there is Solaris 10, ASE 15.0.2, Oracle 11g, etc. I agree with all of the 5 star reviewers and there were no print quality issues with my copy. Biggest problem would be for Mr. Packer to assimilate and digest all of the information from the new RDBMS software available now. If I could I would give this book 6 stars. (By the way, many of the chapters would still be relevant for specific RDBMSs running on AIX, HP, Linux, etc.)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for your performance reference, February 5, 2002

By 

JT "Jeff Turner" (Egham, Surrey United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Configuring and Tuning Databases on the Solaris Platform (Paperback)

This book is a MUST for anyone involved in Solaris performance management.

Not only does Alan Packer provide incredibly useful information regarding how the Orcale, Sybase, Informix and DB2 databases work but he also gives many hints and tips on Solaris-related issues.

From process management to data storage, there is something here for anyone involved in administering performance on Solaris servers.

Also, the content is very much up-to-date with coverage of Solaris 2.6, 7 and 8.

An excellent read, very informative and well written