Jeff Q1) Can somebody re-explain [db_file_sequential_read wait event] please? Sequential also refers to table blocks read by rowid (ie single block rather than multi-block reads). Handy memo guide here: http://www.adp-gmbh.ch/ora/tuning/event.html (4th on Google after various Burleson dba-oracle.com hits). Q3) I'm thinking of putting hot indexes into their own buffer pool since I've got tons of memory. Does this sound like a reasonable approach to you folks? Personally, I'd rather let Oracle manage a single pool. A separate pool means you are assuming that by default Oracle will choose inappropriate blocks to page out. Of course you may be right... :-) Regards Nigel -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l