1. Performance

2. Performance Performance is a critical issue especially in a multi-user environment. Benchmarking is one way of testing this.

3. Benchmarking There are numerous software utilities for benchmarking the performance of a given system. This will help in determining whether or not a system is running at optimal performance.

4. User Decisions There are also things you can do as a user to help in maintaining optimal system performance. Solid database designSolid database design Efficient query designEfficient query design Use of available system toolUse of available system tool

5. Stored Procedures Some database systems allow for the creation and storage of Stored Procedures. Stored Procedures is a collection of procedural SQL statements. This is defined on the server and accepts a list of parameters which are used within the statements. A result is returned. These are much faster due to the fact they are pre-compiled.

6. Database Design Keep your table schema as simple as possible without compromising your normalizationKeep your table schema as simple as possible without compromising your normalization Index only the fields that will be most commonly used in your queriesIndex only the fields that will be most commonly used in your queries Select your datatypes wiselySelect your datatypes wisely

7. Hardware Sufficient memory (RAM)Sufficient memory (RAM) Sufficient hard disk spaceSufficient hard disk space Hard disk should have minimal fragmentationHard disk should have minimal fragmentation Clear log files regularlyClear log files regularly

8. And remember… Always have a backup system!