Chapter 9: Database Administration and Performance Tuning
Database administration and performance tuning are crucial aspects of managing a successful database system. This chapter covers essential strategies and techniques to ensure your database operates efficiently and reliably.
9.1 Backup and Recovery Strategies
9.1.1 Types of Backups
- Full backups
- Incremental backups
- Differential backups
9.1.2 Backup Schedule and Retention Policies
- Determining optimal backup frequency
- Designing a retention policy based on business needs
9.1.3 Recovery Procedures
- Point-in-time recovery
- Disaster recovery planning
- Testing recovery procedures
9.2 Monitoring and Troubleshooting
9.2.1 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- CPU usage
- Memory utilization
- I/O operations
- Query response time
9.2.2 Monitoring Tools
- Built-in database monitoring utilities
- Third-party monitoring solutions
- Setting up alerts and notifications
9.2.3 Common Database Issues and Solutions
- Deadlocks
- Query timeouts
- Storage bottlenecks
9.3 Query Optimization Techniques
9.3.1 Understanding Query Execution Plans
- Reading and interpreting execution plans
- Identifying performance bottlenecks
9.3.2 Index Optimization
- Choosing appropriate indexes
- Maintaining indexes
- Avoiding over-indexing
9.3.3 Query Rewriting
- Simplifying complex queries
- Eliminating subqueries when possible
- Leveraging query hints
9.3.4 Database Schema Optimization
- Normalization vs. denormalization trade-offs
- Partitioning strategies
9.4 Real-life Example: Optimizing Performance for a High-Traffic Website
In this section, we'll explore a case study of an e-commerce website experiencing performance issues during peak traffic hours. We'll walk through the process of:
- Identifying performance bottlenecks through monitoring
- Analyzing and optimizing slow queries
- Implementing caching strategies
- Scaling the database infrastructure
- Measuring and reporting on performance improvements