Insights
Observations and notes drawn from work in the field.
When One Table Is Better Than Ten Thousand
A practical example of how an apparently simple schema design decision could have introduced significant long-term complexity, and why experienced database input is often most valuable early in a project.
When “Unused” Indexes Aren’t Unused
A practical example of why large, apparently unused indexes cannot be evaluated safely in isolation, and why schema context matters when making optimisation decisions.
Choosing the Right Database: When SQLite is the Better Option
A practical example of selecting SQLite over more complex database systems, based on the actual requirements of the application rather than defaulting to more complex solutions.
Diagnosing Oracle Performance Using Trace-Based Analysis
Practical use of Oracle 10046 trace data, following Cary Millsap’s Method-R approach, to diagnose performance issues that are not visible through aggregated statistics — including cases where response time varies unpredictably between fast and slow executions.