HPL performance tuning

I'm doing some benchmarking with HPL. Just out-of-the-box, I've noticed that there is a noticeable difference in unloading data, and it seems to carry over in the data loads. One thing: From a practical point of view, how can I tune it to go faster, whether unloads or loads? I've toyed with the express vs. deluxe; I'm looking for PLCONFIG variables that (probably) need to be tuned. Any ideas? Thanks in advance John Carlson Informix DBA WHSmith USA

Also sprach "Carlson@WHSmith" <carlson1@bellsouth.net> : :I'm doing some benchmarking with HPL. Just out-of-the-box, I've noticed :that there is a noticeable difference in unloading data, and it seems to :carry over in the data loads. One thing: From a practical point of :view, how can I tune it to go faster, whether unloads or loads? I've :toyed with the express vs. deluxe; I'm looking for PLCONFIG variables :that (probably) need to be tuned. Any ideas? You'll get the fastest possible performance from HPL if you use no-conversion jobs. This requires that loaded data be in the appropriate internal format for informix's needs, easiest to achieve by creating the load data via an HPL unload without conversion, but also doable with a C or other program that writes the data out in a "raw" form suitable to informix. Conversion to and from ascii is where HPL tends to spend the majority of its cpu time. Dave