If you are not using PQ, then it will be nearly impossible to take advantage of a large (multiple gigabytes) pga_aggregate_target (that is, unless you run some crazy high number of concurrent, serial queries, but even then there is a limit). The pga_aggregate_target memory is well used for sorts/joins with PQ as the more processes that are involved, the more memory that can be leveraged. Even then, after a given amount, it will spill to temp. Generally the db_cache_size should be large enough to keep your frequently used dimension tables (is this a star schema?) and segment information. About the best advice one can give at this point is: make effective use of the memory. You will have to determine by the workload, the execution plans, etc. how to best allocate it. On Sun, Jul 20, 2008 at 12:22 AM, Hemant K Chitale <hkchital@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > No, the vendor hasn't put in any parallelism (ie no DEGREE at table level > and no usage of Hints) explicitly. Partitioning is used and I am given to > understand that only the last partition (ie the one for the current month) > would be actively used in every month's run. > > However, from the AWR report given to me I do see 'db file sequential read' > waits (although lesser than 'db file scattered read') waits. > > > At 02:22 PM Sunday, Greg Rahn wrote: >> >> This depends more on the detail of what you mean by DSS in terms of >> workload. Are you using Parallel Query? Is the workload partition >> scans and hash joins? >> >> >> http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14223/usingpe.htm#sthref2504 >> >> "With the exception of parallel update and delete, parallel operations >> do not generally benefit from larger buffer cache sizes. Other >> parallel operations can benefit only if you increase the size of the >> buffer pool and thereby accommodate the inner table or index for a >> nested loop join." >> >> On Sat, Jul 19, 2008 at 9:34 PM, Hemant K Chitale >> <hkchital@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: >> > >> > I have been informed that advice to increase the db_cache_size makes >> > sense >> > for an OLTP system but not a DSS system. >> > That for a DSS system, the db_cache_size should not be large but the >> > pga_aggregate_target should be large. >> > >> > Are there any "best practices" , "test cases", "white papers", >> > "benchmarks" which indicate such ? >> -- Regards, Greg Rahn http://structureddata.org -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l