Benchmark Handbook for Database and Transaction Processing Systems

Benchmarks have become important to everyone in the computer industry. The Second Edition of this essential reference has been expanded to include the official documentation for all three TPC Benchmarks, A, B, and C, a new benchmark for full-text document retrieval, and an overview of the SPEC benchmarks for CPU performance. This practical guide provides the tools to evaluate different systems, different software products on a single machine, and different machines (or new releases) within a single product family--all within the context of modern system applications.

Each of the benchmarks presented is simple, scalable, and has been successfully ported to several computer systems. Most important, the benchmarks can be used to measure entire systems from processor to network. For the professional in system performance, it is the standard reference in the field; for system buyers, it provides an invaluable look at a complex area that has long-term effects on hardware and software use. Programmers can use an appreciation of available benchmarks to choose among design alternatives, and managers will benefit from knowing the range of performance available from different hardware and software combinations they might authorize for development or purchase.