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Thread: db block size difference in performance

  1. #1
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    db block size difference in performance

    I have converted my application from an 8.1.7db to a 9.2.0.1db. It takes the 9i db twice as long as 8i to processes the same queries. I have converted all indexes and analyzed all tables. When I created the db I made the mistake of using a 4k block size on 9i but had an 8k block size on 8i. Should this effect performance this severely?

    Other differences:
    o 9i uses LMT as opposed DMT

  2. #2
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    It could affect performance, but the more likely culprit would be the query plan changing.
    Jeff Hunter

  3. #3
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    It may also depend on the type of data you're getting from disks. For instance like LOBS. If you're snatching a 200meg jpg and you're using a 4k block size of course it's going to take longer to put it into the buffer cache than 8k would.
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  4. #4
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    thanks for the replies... I will dig further.

  5. #5
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    Originally posted by OracleDoc
    . . . If you're snatching a 200meg jpg and you're using a 4k block size of course it's going to take longer to put it into the buffer cache than 8k would.
    Yes slower, but is that going to be significant with read-ahead caching and Oracle's multi-block reading?

  6. #6
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    Originally posted by DaPi
    Yes slower, but is that going to be significant with read-ahead caching and Oracle's multi-block reading?
    Hmmm, good point. To be honest I can only share from my experiences. I'm running a spaital database that has many lobs (tif's)that range from 23 megs to 500megs. I've recently rebuilt my database from 8k block size to a 32k block size and have seen a noticable performance increase. Now granted it's nothing dramatic but it is enough to perk your eyebrows up.
    Oracle it's not just a database it's a lifestyle!
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    BTW....You need to get a girlfriend who's last name isn't .jpg

  7. #7
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    Good for your LOB's - is the overall performance still good?

    I've seen it suggested that if you have a 32K Oracle blocksize and an OS/hardware blocksize of (say) 4K, then any Oracle single block read looks like an OS/hardware multi-block read and so triggers read-ahead, which in turn tends to flush the OS/hardware buffer unnecessarily. But then these flushed blocks should be in Oracle buffers by then . . . shouldn't they? Any comments?

    P.S. wouldn't spend too much time on this - as Jeff says, look to the plans!

  8. #8
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    Ohh I totally agree that you should check into the plans. I was just taking it for granted that - that was the #1 thing to look at before you start messing with block size.

    As over all performance, all I can say is that my queries aren't taking as long. I've got a pretty beefy box so I've got a lot of memory thrown at it.
    Oracle it's not just a database it's a lifestyle!
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  9. #9
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    I have a suspician that they changed the blocksize but kept the init.ora parameters the same. This in turn could influence the optimizer to do more FTS then before.
    Jeff Hunter

  10. #10
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    Originally posted by marist89
    I have a suspician that they changed the blocksize but kept the init.ora parameters the same.
    That would halve the size of the buffer cache for start!

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