Abstract: An index advice record engine generates and stores index advice records. An index advice policy mechanism allows a user to define an index advice policy that specifies criteria for autonomic index creation, modification and deletion. An autonomic index mechanism reads the index advice records, compares this information with the criteria in the user-defined index advice policies, and determines whether an index should be created, modified or deleted based on the information in the index advice records and the index advice policies. By automating the process of creating, modifying and deleting indexes according to user-defined policies, the preferred embodiments alleviate human users from most of the work of manually creating, modifying and deleting indexes.

Abstract: An index advice record engine generates and stores index advice records. An index advice policy mechanism allows a user to define an index advice policy that specifies criteria for autonomic index creation, modification and deletion. An autonomic index mechanism reads the index advice records, compares this information with the criteria in the user-defined index advice policies, and determines whether an index should be created, modified or deleted based on the information in the index advice records and the index advice policies. By automating the process of creating, modifying and deleting indexes according to user-defined policies, the preferred embodiments alleviate human users from most of the work of manually creating, modifying and deleting indexes.

Abstract: A database query optimizer includes an access plan storage mechanism that stores execution detail corresponding to a query statement in an access plan cache. By storing execution detail in the access plan cache along with the query statement, the execution detail is available when needed to debug database problems, even after a problem occurs. The execution detail stored in the access plan cache may be mined and analyzed after-the-fact, producing a very powerful tool for debugging database problems. Snapshots of the execution detail may also be created by a user. In addition, the user may setup autonomic snapshots and comparisons so that a user may be alerted from a degradation in database performance between two snapshots.

Abstract: A database graphical comparison tool allows comparing database items that include multiple database statements and graphically displaying the comparison results in a ranked list of database statements. The graphical comparison tool includes a graphical user interface that allows a user to easily configure the tool for both manual and automatic (or scheduled) comparisons. In addition, the user may specify one or more actions that may be autonomically performed when the comparison of database items meets predefined criteria. Database items that may be compared using the database graphical comparison tool include optimizer monitors and plan cache snapshots.

Abstract: An index advice record engine generates and stores index advice records. An index advice policy mechanism allows a user to define an index advice policy that specifies criteria for autonomic index creation, modification and deletion. An autonomic index mechanism reads the index advice records, compares this information with the criteria in the user-defined index advice policies, and determines whether an index should be created, modified or deleted based on the information in the index advice records and the index advice policies. By automating the process of creating, modifying and deleting indexes according to user-defined policies, the preferred embodiments alleviate human users from most of the work of manually creating, modifying and deleting indexes.

Abstract: An index advice record engine generates and stores index advice records. An index advice policy mechanism allows a user to define an index advice policy that specifies criteria for autonomic index creation, modification and deletion. An autonomic index mechanism reads the index advice records, compares this information with the criteria in the user-defined index advice policies, and determines whether an index should be created, modified or deleted based on the information in the index advice records and the index advice policies. By automating the process of creating, modifying and deleting indexes according to user-defined policies, the preferred embodiments alleviate human users from most of the work of manually creating, modifying and deleting indexes.

Abstract: An index advice record engine generates and stores index advice records. An index advice policy mechanism allows a user to define an index advice policy that specifies criteria for autonomic index creation. An autonomic index creation mechanism reads the index advice records, compares this information with the criteria in the user-defined index advice policies, and determines whether an index should be created based on the information in the index advice records and the index advice policies. By automating the process of creating indexes according to user-defined policies, the preferred embodiments alleviate human users from most of the work of manually creating indexes.

Abstract: Continual generation of index advice that includes generating an index advice for an index of a table in a computer database and recording values of statistical attributes of the index advice accumulated across repeated generations of the index advice. The generating and recording typically are carried out continually without user intervention. Embodiments include recording values of attributes of the index advice that specify an index. Typical embodiments also include, continually and without user intervention, recording values of attributes of the index advice that characterize usefulness of an index and recording values of attributes of the index advice that characterize cost of creating an index.