Informix DBA Survival Guide, Second Edition

System Configuration

Once you are comfortable that you have a properly configured kernel, you can begin to analyze other aspects of the system. Informix databases are complex systems, and all of the parts need to be working together correctly in order to achieve maximum performance. It's possible, though, to boil the complexity down to a few general areas that need to be considered in all instances:

• Memory

• CPU usage

• Disks

• Connectivity

Any of these elements can create a processing bottleneck that will slow the entire system down. Your task as a tuner is to uncover and eliminate these bottlenecks.

Database tuning is a continuous process because most databases change significantly over time. Tables grow. Disks fill up. New queries are run. What you ...