Robustness in automatic physical database design

Automatic physical database design tools rely on "what-if" interfaces to the query optimizer to estimate the execution time of the training query workload under different candidate physical designs. The tools use these what-if interfaces to recommend physical designs that minimize the estimated execution time of the input training workload. In this paper, we argue that minimizing estimated execution time alone can lead to designs with inherent problems. In particular, if the optimizer makes an error in estimating the execution time of some workload queries, then the recommended physical design may actually harm the workload instead of benefiting it. In this sense, the physical design is risky. Moreover, if the production queries are slightly different from the training queries, the recommended physical design may not benefit them at all. In this sense, the physical design is not general. We define Risk and Generality as two new metrics to evaluate the quality of a proposed p...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2008
• Where: EDBT
• Authors: Kareem El Gebaly, Ashraf Aboulnaga
• Keywords: Database, EDBT 2008, Generic Physical Design, Physical Database Design, Physical Design Advisor