Re: Informix and Oracle in the same shop -Reply
Hi Peter, Being the originator of the original thread, I have been following the comments that have come back, and I must agree that nearly all comments appear to have originated from an Informix view point. I would like to comment on the Parallel issue you raised, with regards to Oracle's use of the SMP box. Within Oracle7 v7.x when a table is created you can specify the degree of parallelism that you would like to process the table / index with. Oracle takes this as a guidance figure when it evaluates the execution plan for a particular statement that accesses the specified table. Oracle may decide to process the query using query slave processes, that are coordinated by the process that issues the query. The query slaves may be used for the raw scanning of the table / index, or may be used to perform the sort or merge if it is deemed necessary. Therefore, in a 64 CPU machine, Oracle can utilize all the processors, but Oracle decides if this is wise based upon a number of conditions including the number of disks that the data is spread across. I am not wanting to shout the Oracle statement, just to let you know the workings of Oracle. I do not know how Informix would utilize the processors so I can not make a comment on that. Rgds Andrew Peter Tashkoff wrote: > Hi Tim > My understamding reflects yours. Sime time back > we had a rash of Oracle interjectors in this list > claiming wonderful things for the product. > I posted to the list in a similar vein to your posting > and asked any of them to comment. > Nary a reply was received. My understanding is > this. > > On a 64 CPU box Informix could conceivably use all > 64 CPUs to process a single massive, complex > query. Oracle (on it's own, without additional > software.) will use precisely 1. > > Once again, I would be happy to be corrected in > these comments if they are incorrect. > > rgds > Peter Tashkoff <tashkop@zespri.co.nz> > Zespri International Limited > This posting may not be used by any party to vilify > another. Standard disclaimers apply. > > >>> Tim Schaefer <devnull@void.devnull.org> > 3/June/1997 11:30am >>> > Pablo Sanchez wrote: > > > In article > <7I97+CA6FykzEwSb@smooth1.demon.co.uk>, > David Williams <djw@smooth1.demon.co.uk> > writes: > > > > > > Because Oracle cannot handle the amount of > data and workload that > > > Informix can. Note the latest TPC-D benchmark > 70% faster than Oracle > > > on similar hardware... > > > Please cite the two write-ups you are referring > to so we can judge > > for ourselves if indeed we do have "similar > hardware" > > > > Informix is truely multi-threaded therefore > can handle higher > > > workloads with parallel queries NOT > requireing context switching > > > between several UNIX processes. Oracle is > not truely multi-threaded. > > > No vendor, that I know of, is truly > multi-threaded... at least in the > > sense of user threads and the like. > > -- > > Pablo Sanchez | wk: 415.933.3812| pg: > 800.930.5635 -or- pablo_p@pager.sgi.com > > > - > ------------+-----------------+-------------------------------------------- > > > pablo@sgi.com ... when mailing me, place "not > spam" in the Subject > > whoa! > > Finally somebody mentioned the threads thing, and > you shoot it down so quickly! tsk tsk.... :-) > > Yes, as much as I hammer on Informix, they are truly > and independently verified to have > multi-threading--unless it's all bs... But Oracle last I > heard was multi-process not multi-threaded... > > The independent analysts are out there. There was > one guy in Denver or somewhere in that neck of the > woods that does independent analysis, and > mentioned this point. If I can dig up my copy of his > report I'll post the address. Sybase came under the > multi-threaded catagory as well. But the beast did > not. > > As I understand it the whole concept of Informixs' > Virtual Processors hinges on threading, not > multi-process spawning as in Oracle. > > Tim > -- Tim Schaefer \\\\|// > tschaefe@mindspring.com (6 6) > ------------------------oOOo---( )---o00o--------- > http://www.inxutil.com > The June issue is out with some new goodies...