Sams Teach Yourself SQL in 21 Days, Fourth Edition

Batch Loads Versus Transactional Processing

A major factor in the performance of a database and SQL statements is the type of processing that takes place within a database. One type of processing is OLTP, discussed earlier today. When we talk about transactional processing, we are going to refer to two types: user input and batch loads.

Regular user input usually consists of SQL statements such as INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE. These types of transactions are often performed by the end user, or the customer. End users are normally using a front-end application such as PowerBuilder to interface with the database, and therefore they seldom issue visible SQL statements. The end users use applications built with tools such as PowerBuilder, Visual Basic, ...