Re: Oracle handling VLDBs

Timothy,

Remember that the Oracle Corporation also now owns the Rdb database (purchased from Digital) . We have Rdb customers out there holding huge volumes of data like the size you describe.

Things to watch out for are:

• Partition the data (in Rdb you define the table and index and then in SQL say over how many disks/ physical files you want it stored. That way you see it and use it as one large table, but physically its broken into pieces)

   Using this approach you avoid huge index structures and a single    point of failure

• Backup and Recovery times on the data
• Data loading/unloading times
• Time required to run analysis tools

VLDB's are feasible and exist today, but my advice to you is to think about all aspects, performance, maintenance, operational procedures. business constraints etc before finalising the design. If you don't you could discover that it may not perform the way you expected! Think and plan before you jump and you will be a very happy VLDB user.

Dr. Lilian Hobbs
Oracle Rdb Engineering

Internet: lhobbs_at_uk.oracle.com

The opinions expressed here are my own and not my employer