Re: Cost-based Optimizers

I am doing some research into cost based optimizers. My experience has been limited to ORACLE (no sympathy please) which does not have a decent cost-based optimizer (when ORACLE’s tech support and education departments tell you not to use their optimizer because it will generally hinder performance, it say a lot about the quality or, lack there of, of their optimizer).

So, what attributes make up a good cost-based optimizer and how do the major vendors (ORACLE, INGRES, SYBASE, and INFORMIX) compare. I have heard that the most advance cost-based optimizer is included in INGRES. If so, what makes their optimizer so much better?

Thanks in advance.

-- 
Bill Busch
Sales Technologies, Atlanta, GA
"If one develops software which idiots can use, only idiots will
use it"