You collect statistics for a "typical" period. (Session 10 - slide 14 of Optimising Oracle) Simplest option: execute dbms_stats.gather_system_stats('start') twiddle thumbs for a while execute dbms_stats.gather_system_stats('stop') You can set sql_trace true to see what actually happens. The idea is that you want Oracle to optimise the SQL for a given machine load - and the machine load is represented by the relative I/O speeds, and the apparent CPU speed. Lapsing into economics - the old CBO worked on the Adam Smith principle .. every does the best they can and the market makes things stabilise; the new CBO works on the John Nash equilibrium .. if everyone knows what everyone else is doing, then there is a point at which not unilateral change can improve the net benefit. Regards Jonathan Lewis http://www.jlcomp.demon.co.uk The Co-operative Oracle Users' FAQ http://www.jlcomp.demon.co.uk/faq/ind_faq.html April 2004 Iceland http://www.index.is/oracleday.php June 2004 UK - Optimising Oracle Seminar July 2004 USA West Coast, Optimising Oracle Seminar August 2004 Charlotte NC, Optimising Oracle Seminar September 2004 USA East Coast, Optimising Oracle Seminar September2004 UK - Optimising Oracle Seminar ----- Original Message ----- From: "Khedr, Waleed" <Waleed.Khedr@xxxxxxx> To: <oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Friday, April 23, 2004 4:59 PM Subject: RE: CPU COSTING I was talking about how it gets populated, or the processes involved in = calculating the numbers there. if the numbers are already in v$filestat, = why do I have to collect it? Regards, Waleed ---------------------------------------------------------------- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe send email to: oracle-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put 'unsubscribe' in the subject line. -- Archives are at //www.freelists.org/archives/oracle-l/ FAQ is at //www.freelists.org/help/fom-serve/cache/1.html -----------------------------------------------------------------