Optimizing SQL code is the #1 factor in improving Oracle database performance, yet most guides to Oracle tuning virtually ignore SQL. Oracle SQL High Performance Tuning, Second Edition zeroes in on SQL, showing how to achieve performance gains of 100% in many applications. Expert Oracle developer Guy Harrison gives Oracle developers and DBAs a single source for guidance on every aspect of Oracle 8i SQL and PL/SQL tuning. Harrison begins with a detailed overview of SQL processing in Oracle, and then introduces SQL tuning guidelines that improve virtually any application. Learn how to trace SQL statement execution, create more effective indexes, identify and resolve Oracle Server bottlenecks, and fix poorly performing SQL code. Master Oracle tuning tools such as tkprof and explain; leverage Oracle's parallel query facility for large-volume queries; and maximize the performance of Oracle clusters. The book outlines up-front design techniques for enhancing application efficiency; includes detailed real-world tuning guidelines for both SQL and PL/SQL; and presents opportunities to improve performance by substituting PL/SQL or Java for SQL.