This manual is intended for database administrators, database designers, developers and system administrators.
You may want to use your own database for testing changes
and queries. Take a snapshot of the database in question and set
it up on a test machine.
This manual is used to fine tune, troubleshoot or improve the performance on Adaptive Server.
Chapter 1, “Introduction to Performance and Tuning” gives a general description of this manual and the other manuals within the Performance and Tuning Series for Adaptive Server.
Chapter 2, “Optimizer Overview” explains the process of query optimization, how statistics are applied to search arguments and joins for queries.
Chapter 3, “Advanced Optimizing Tools” describes advanced tools for tuning query performance.
Chapter 4, “Query Tuning Tools” presents an overview of query tuning tools and describes how these tools can interact.
Chapter 5, “Access Methods and Query Costing for Single Tables” describes how Adaptive Server accesses tables in queries that only involve one table and how the costs are estimated for various access methods.
Chapter 6, “Accessing Methods and Costing for Joins and Subqueries” describes how Adaptive Server accesses tables during joins and subqueries, and how the costs are determined.
Chapter 7, “Parallel Query Processing” intoduces the concepts and resources required for parallel query processing.
Chapter 8, “Parallel Query Optimization” provides an indepth look at the optimization of parallel queries.
Chapter 9, “Parallel Sorting” describes the use of parallel sorting for queries and creating indexes.
Chapter 10, “Tuning Asynchronous Prefetch” describes how asynchronous prefetch improves performance for queries that perform large disk I/O.
Chapter 12, “tempdb Performance Issues” stresses the importance of the temporary database, tempdb, and provides suggestions for improving its performance.
Chapter 11, “Multiple Temporary Databases” describes how Adaptive Server allows you to create multiple temporary databases, which you can then use to create temporary objects such as private temporary tables and work tables.
Chapter 13, “Cursors and Performance” describes performance issues with cursors.
:
The remaining volumes for the Performance and Tuning Series are:
Performance and Tuning: Basics
Performance and Tuning: Locking
Performance and Tuning: Monitoring and Analyzing
The release bulletin for your platform – contains last-minute information that was too late to be included in the books.
A more recent version of the release bulletin may be available on the World Wide Web. To check for critical product or document information that was added after the release of the product CD, use the Sybase Technical Library.
The Installation Guide for your platform – describes installation, upgrade, and configuration procedures for all Adaptive Server and related Sybase products.
Configuring Adaptive Server Enterprise for your platform – provides instructions for performing specific configuration tasks for Adaptive Server.
What’s New in Adaptive Server Enterprise? – describes the new features in Adaptive Server version 12.5, the system changes added to support those features, and the changes that may affect your existing applications.
Transact-SQL User’s Guide – documents Transact-SQL, Sybase’s enhanced version of the relational database language. This manual serves as a textbook for beginning users of the database management system. This manual also contains descriptions of the pubs2 and pubs3 sample databases.
System Administration Guide – provides in-depth information about administering servers and databases. This manual includes instructions and guidelines for managing physical resources, security, user and system databases, and specifying character conversion, international language, and sort order settings.
Reference Manual – contains detailed information about all Transact-SQL commands, functions, procedures, and data types. This manual also contains a list of the Transact-SQL reserved words and definitions of system tables.
The Utility Guide – documents the Adaptive Server utility programs, such as isql and bcp, which are executed at the operating system level.
The Quick Reference Guide – provides a comprehensive listing of the names and syntax for commands, functions, system procedures, extended system procedures, data types, and utilities in a pocket-sized book. Available only in print version.
The System Tables Diagram – illustrates system tables and their entity relationships in a poster format. Available only in print version.
Error Messages and Troubleshooting Guide – explains how to resolve frequently occurring error messages and describes solutions to system problems frequently encountered by users.
Component Integration Services User’s Guide – explains how to use the Adaptive Server Component Integration Services feature to connect remote Sybase and non-Sybase databases.
Java in Adaptive Server Enterprise – describes how to install and use Java classes as data types, functions, and stored procedures in the Adaptive Server database.
XML Services in Adaptive Server Enterprise – describes the Sybase native XML processor and the Sybase Java-based XML support, introduces XML in the database, and documents the query and mapping functions that comprise XML Services.
Using Sybase Failover in a High Availability System – provides instructions for using Sybase’s Failover to configure an Adaptive Server as a companion server in a high availability system.
Job Scheduler User's Guide – provides instructions on how to create and schedule jobs on a local or remote Adaptive Server using the command line or a graphical user interface (GUI).
Using Adaptive Server Distributed Transaction Management Features – explains how to configure, use, and troubleshoot Adaptive Server DTM features in distributed transaction processing environments.
EJB Server User’s Guide – explains how to use EJB Server to deploy and execute Enterprise JavaBeans in Adaptive Server.
XA Interface Integration Guide for CICS, Encina, and TUXEDO – provides instructions for using Sybase’s DTM XA interface with X/Open XA transaction managers.
Glossary – defines technical terms used in the Adaptive Server documentation.
Sybase jConnect for JDBC Programmer’s Reference – describes the jConnect for JDBC product and explains how to use it to access data stored in relational database management systems.
Full-Text Search Specialty Data Store User’s Guide – describes how to use the Full-Text Search feature with Verity to search Adaptive Server Enterprise data.
Historical Server User’s Guide –describes how to use Historical Server to obtain performance information for SQL Server and Adaptive Server.
Monitor Server User’s Guide – describes how to use Monitor Server to obtain performance statistics from SQL Server and Adaptive Server.
Monitor Client Library Programmer’s Guide – describes how to write Monitor Client Library applications that access Adaptive Server performance data.
Use the Sybase Technical Library CD and the Technical Library Product Manuals Web site to learn more about your product:
The Getting Started CD contains release bulletins and installation guides in PDF format, and may also contain other documents or updated information not included on the Technical Library CD. It is included with your software. To read or print documents on the Getting Started CD you need Adobe Acrobat Reader (downloadable at no charge from the Adobe Web site, using a link provided on the CD).
The Technical Library CD contains product manuals and is included with your software. The DynaText reader (included on the Technical Library CD) allows you to access technical information about your product in an easy-to-use format.
Refer to the Technical Library Installation Guide in your documentation package for instructions on installing and starting the Technical Library.
The Technical Library Product Manuals Web site is an HTML version of the Technical Library CD that you can access using a standard Web browser. In addition to product manuals, you will find links to EBFs/Updates, Technical Documents, Case Management, Solved Cases, newsgroups, and the Sybase Developer Network.
To access the Technical Library Product Manuals Web site, go to Product Manuals.
Technical documentation at the Sybase Web site is updated frequently.
Finding the latest information on product certifications
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Select a product name from the product list and click Go.
Select the Certification Report filter, specify a time frame, and click Go.
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Set up a MySybase profile. MySybase is a free service that allows you to create a personalized view of Sybase Web pages.
Point your Web browser to Technical Documents.
Click MySybase and create a MySybase profile.
Finding the latest information on EBFs and software
updates
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Select EBFs/Updates. Enter user name and password information, if prompted (for existing Web accounts) or create a new account (a free service).
Select a product.
Specify a time frame and click Go.
Click the Info icon to display the EBF/Update report, or click the product description to download the software.
This section describes conventions used in this manual.
SQL is a free-form language. There are no rules about the number of words you can put on a line or where you must break a line. However, for readability, all examples and syntax statements in this manual are formatted so that each clause of a statement begins on a new line. Clauses that have more than one part extend to additional lines, which are indented.
The font and syntax conventions used in this manual are shown in Table 1.0:
Element |
Example |
|---|---|
Command names, command option names, utility names, utility flags, and other keywords are bold. |
select sp_configure |
Database names, datatypes, file names and path names are in italics. |
master database |
Variables, or words that stand for values that you fill in, are in italics. |
select column_name from table_name where search_conditions |
Parentheses are to be typed as part of the command. |
compute row_aggregate ( column_name ) |
Curly braces indicate that you must choose at least one of the enclosed options. Do not type the braces. |
{cash, check, credit}
|
Brackets mean choosing one or more of the enclosed options is optional. Do not type the brackets. |
[anchovies] |
The vertical bar means you may select only one of the options shown. |
{die_on_your_feet | live_on_your_knees | live_on_your_feet}
|
The comma means you may choose as many of the options shown as you like, separating your choices with commas to be typed as part of the command. |
[extra_cheese, avocados, sour_cream]
|
An ellipsis (...) means that you can repeat the last unit as many times as you like. |
buy thing = price [cash | check | credit] [, thing = price [cash | check | credit] ]... You must buy at least one thing and give its price. You may choose a method of payment: one of the items enclosed in square brackets. You may also choose to buy additional things: as many of them as you like. For each thing you buy, give its name, its price, and (optionally) a method of payment. |
Syntax statements (displaying the syntax and all options for a command) appear as follows:
sp_dropdevice [ device_name]
or, for a command with more options:
select column_name from table_name where search_conditions
In syntax statements, keywords (commands) are in normal font and identifiers are in lowercase: normal font for keywords, italics for user-supplied words.
Examples of output from the computer appear as follows:
0736 New Age Books Boston MA0877 Binnet & Hardley Washington DC1389 Algodata Infosystems Berkeley CA
In this manual, most of the examples are in lowercase. However, you can disregard case when typing Transact-SQL keywords. For example, SELECT, Select, and select are the same. Note that Adaptive Server’s sensitivity to the case of database objects, such as table names, depends on the sort order installed on Adaptive Server. You can change case sensitivity for single-byte character sets by reconfiguring the Adaptive Server sort order.
See in the System Administration Guide for more information.
Adaptive Server syntax statements use the following types of expressions:
Usage |
Definition |
|---|---|
expression |
Can include constants, literals, functions, column identifiers, variables, or parameters |
logical expression |
An expression that returns TRUE, FALSE, or UNKNOWN |
constant expression |
An expression that always returns the same value, such as “5+3” or “ABCDE” |
float_expr |
Any floating-point expression or expression that implicitly converts to a floating value |
integer_expr |
Any integer expression, or an expression that implicitly converts to an integer value |
numeric_expr |
Any numeric expression that returns a single value |
char_expr |
Any expression that returns a single character-type value |
binary_expression |
An expression that returns a single binary or varbinary value |
Many of the examples in this manual are based on a database called pubtune. The database schema is the same as the pubs2 database, but the tables used in the examples have more rows: titles has 5000, authors has 5000, and titleauthor has 6250. Different indexes are generated to show different features for many examples, and these indexes are described in the text.The pubtune database is not provided with Adaptive Server. Since most of the examples show the results of commands such as set showplan and set statistics io, running the queries in this manual on pubs2 tables will not produce the same I/O results, and in many cases, will not produce the same query plans as those shown here.
Each Sybase installation that has purchased a support contract has one or more designated people who are authorized to contact Sybase Technical Support. If you cannot resolve a problem using the manuals or online help, please have the designated person contact Sybase Technical Support or the Sybase subsidiary in your area.
