The Data Access Handbook   Achieving Optimal Database Application Performance and Scalability   John Goodson • Robert A. Steward   Drive breakthrough database application performance by optimizing middleware and connectivity   Performance and scalability are more critical than ever in today’s enterprise database applications, and traditional database tuning isn’t nearly enough to solve the performance problems you are likely to see in those applications. Nowadays, 75-95% of the time it takes to process a data request is typically spent in the database middleware. Today’s worst performance and scalability problems are generally caused by issues with networking, database drivers, the broader software/hardware environment, and inefficient coding of data requests. In The Data Access Handbook, two of the world’s leading experts on database access systematically address these issues, showing how to achieve remarkable improvements in performance of real-world database applications.   Drawing on their unsurpassed experience with every leading database system and database connectivity API, John Goodson and Rob Steward reveal the powerful ways middleware affects application performance and guide developers with designing and writing API code that will deliver superior performance in each leading environment. In addition to covering essential concepts and techniques that apply across database systems and APIs, they present many API examples for ODBC, JDBC, and ADO.NET as well as database system examples for DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and Sybase. Coverage includes   Clearly understanding how each component of database middleware can impact performance and scalability Writing database applications to reduce network traffic, limit disk I/O, optimize application-to-driver interaction, and simplify queries—including examples for ODBC, JDBC, and ADO.NET Managing connections, transactions, and SQL statement execution more efficiently Making the most of connection and statement pooling Writing good benchmarks to predict your application’s performance Systematically resolving performance problems—including eight start-to-finish case-study examples   If you’re a software architect, system designer, or database application developer, The Data Access Handbook will be your most indispensable database application performance resource. It’s the one book that focuses on the areas where you can achieve the greatest improvements—whether you’re designing new database applications or troubleshooting existing ones.   John Goodson is vice president and general manager of the DataDirect division of Progress Software, a leader in data connectivity and mainframe integration. For 20 years, he has worked with Sun, Microsoft, and others to develop database connectivity standards such as J2EE, JDBC, ODBC, and ADO. He served on the ANSI H2 committee that built the SQL standard and now participates in the JDBC Expert Group and Java Rowsets standards committees.   Rob Steward, vice president of R&D at the DataDirect division of Progress Software, is responsible for the development, strategy, and oversight of the company’s data connectivity products. Rob has spent the past 15 years developing high-performing database driver and data providers, including ODBC, JDBC, and ADO.NET. Both authors have spoken on database application performance at many industry events.   Visit www.dataaccesshandbook.com to get the code examples presented in this book and other supplemental information for DB2, MicrosoftSQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, and Sybase.  

Table of Contents:
Preface CHAPTER 1 Performance Isn’t What It Used To Be Where Are We Today?     The Network     The Database Driver     The Environment     Your Database Application Our Goal for This Book CHAPTER 2 Designing for Performance: What’s Your Strategy? Your Applications     Database Connections     Transaction Management     SQL Statements     Data Retrieval     Extended Security Static SQL Versus Dynamic SQL The Network The Database Driver Know Your Database System Using Object-Relational Mapping Tools Summary CHAPTER 3 Database Middleware: Why It’s Important What Is Database Middleware? How Database Middleware Affects Application Performance Database Drivers     What Does a Database Driver Do?     Database Driver Architecture     Runtime Performance Tuning Options     Configuring Database Drivers/Data Providers Summary CHAPTER 4 The Environment: Tuning for Performance Runtime Environment (Java and .NET)     JVM     .NET CLR Operating System Network     Database Protocol Packets     Network Packets     Configuring Packet Size     Analyzing the Network Path     Reducing Network Hops and Contention     Avoiding Network Packet Fragmentation     Increasing Network Bandwidth Hardware     Memory     Disk     CPU (Processor)     Network Adapter     Virtualization Summary CHAPTER 5 ODBC Applications: Writing Good Code Managing Connections     Connecting Efficiently     Using Connection Pooling     Establishing Connections One at a Time     Using One Connection for Multiple Statements     Obtaining Database and Driver Information Efficiently Managing Transactions     Managing Commits in Transactions     Choosing the Right Transaction Model Executing SQL Statements     Using Stored Procedures     Using Statements Versus Prepared Statements     Using Arrays of Parameters     Using the Cursor Library Retrieving Data     Retrieving Long Data     Limiting the Amount of Data Retrieved     Using Bound Columns     Using SQLExtendedFetch Instead of SQLFetch     Determining the Number of Rows in a Result Set     Choosing the Right Data Type Updating Data     Using SQLSpecialColumns to Optimize Updates and Deletes Using Catalog Functions     Minimizing the Use of Catalog Functions     Avoiding Search Patterns     Using a Dummy Query to Determine Table Characteristics Summary CHAPTER 6 JDBC Applications: Writing Good Code Managing Connections     Connecting Efficiently     Using Connection Pooling     Establishing Connections One at a Time     Using One Connection for Multiple Statements     Disconnecting Efficiently     Obtaining Database and Driver Information Efficiently Managing Transactions     Managing Commits in Transactions     Choosing the Right Transaction Model Executing SQL Statements     Using Stored Procedures     Using Statements Versus Prepared Statements     Using Batches Versus Prepared Statements     Using getXXX Methods to Fetch Data from a Result Set     Retrieving Auto-Generated Keys Retrieving Data     Retrieving Long Data     Limiting the Amount of Data Retrieved     Determining the Number of Rows in a Result Set     Choosing the Right Data Type     Choosing the Right Cursor Updating Data     Using Positioned Updates, Inserts, and Deletes (updateXXX Methods)     Using getBestRowIdentifier() to Optimize Updates and Deletes Using Database Metadata Methods     Minimizing the Use of Database Metadata Methods     Avoiding Search Patterns     Using a Dummy Query to Determine Table Characteristics Summary CHAPTER 7 .NET Applications: Writing Good Code Managing Connections     Connecting Efficiently     Using Connection Pooling     Establishing Connections One at a Time     Disconnecting Efficiently     Obtaining Database and Data Provider Information Efficiently Managing Transactions     Managing Commits in Transactions     Choosing the Right Transaction Model Executing SQL Statements     Executing SQL Statements that Retrieve Little or No Data     Using the Command.Prepare Method     Using Arrays of Parameters/Batches Versus Prepared Statements     Using Bulk Load     Using Pure Managed Providers Selecting .NET Objects and Methods     Avoiding the CommandBuilder Object     Choosing Between a DataReader and DataSet Object     Using GetXXX Methods to Fetch Data from a DataReader Retrieving Data     Retrieving Long Data     Limiting the Amount of Data Retrieved     Choosing the Right Data Type Updating Data Summary CHAPTER 8 Connection Pooling and Statement Pooling Connection Pool Model for JDBC     Configuring Connection Pools     Guidelines Connection Pool Model for ODBC     Connection Pooling as Defined in the ODBC Specification     Configuring Connection Pools     Guidelines Connection Pool Model for ADO.NET     Configuring Connection Pools     Guidelines Using Reauthentication with Connection Pooling     Configuring Connection Pooling with Reauthentication in a JDBC Environment Using Statement Pooling     Using Statement Pooling with Connection Pooling     Guidelines Summary: The Big Picture CHAPTER 9 Developing Good Benchmarks Developing the Benchmark     Define Benchmark Goals     Reproduce the Production Environment     Isolate the Test Environment     Reproduce the Workload     Measure the Right Tasks     Measure over a Sufficient Duration of Time     Prepare the Database     Make Changes One at a Time     Assess Other Factors Benchmark Example Summary CHAPTER 10 Troubleshooting Performance Issues Where to Start Changes in Your Database Application Deployment The Database Application The Database Driver     Runtime Performance Tuning Options     Architecture The Environment     Runtime Environment (Java and .NET)     Operating System     Network     Hardware Case Studies     Case Study 1     Case Study 2     Case Study 3     Case Study 4     Case Study 5     Case Study 6     Case Study 7     Case Study 8 Summary CHAPTER 11 Data Access in Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) Environments What Is Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)? Data Access Guidelines for SOA Environments     Involve Data Experts in Addition to SOA Experts     Decouple Data Access from Business Logic     Design and Tune for Performance     Consider Data Integration Summary Glossary     0137143931    TOC    2/19/2009