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SQL PIVOT AND PRUNE QUERIES - KEEPING

AN EYE ON PERFORMANCE

110516346.doc

Author:

Brendan Furey

Creation Date:

2 May 2011

Version:

1.3

Last Updated:

25 September 2012

Page 1 of 52

Table of Contents

Introduction.......................................................................................................4
Hardware/Software Summary.......................................................................4
Overview...........................................................................................................5
Problem Description.....................................................................................5
Test Data Sets..............................................................................................6
Pivot and Prune Query Strategies.................................................................6
Pivot Strategies.....................................................................................................6
Prune Strategies....................................................................................................7
Strategy Modifiers.................................................................................................7
Test Combinations................................................................................................8

Testing Strategy...........................................................................................8
Output Files..................................................................................................9
The Queries.....................................................................................................10
JNSQ: Join, Subquery..................................................................................10
Query Text...........................................................................................................10
Query Diagram....................................................................................................11
Execution Plan Example (W64-D16)...................................................................11
Results.................................................................................................................12

WJSQ: With, Subquery................................................................................13


Query Text...........................................................................................................13
Query Diagram....................................................................................................14
Execution Plan Example (W128-D64).................................................................14
Results.................................................................................................................15

WJAN: With, Analytic...................................................................................16


Query Text...........................................................................................................16
Query Diagram....................................................................................................17
Execution Plan Example (W128-D64).................................................................17
Results.................................................................................................................18

WJKP: With, Keep........................................................................................19


Query Text...........................................................................................................19
Query Diagram....................................................................................................20
Execution Plan Example (W128-D64).................................................................20
Results.................................................................................................................21

PVAN: Pivot, Analytic..................................................................................22


Query Text...........................................................................................................22
Query Diagram....................................................................................................22
Execution Plan Example (W128-D64).................................................................22
Results.................................................................................................................23

PVANIV: Pivot, Analytic, View......................................................................24


Query Text...........................................................................................................24
Query Diagram....................................................................................................24
Execution Plan Example (W128-D64).................................................................25
Results.................................................................................................................25

PVKP: Pivot, Keep.......................................................................................26


Query Text...........................................................................................................26
Query Diagram....................................................................................................26
Execution Plan Example (W128-D64).................................................................27
Results.................................................................................................................27

PVKPIV: Pivot, Keep, View...........................................................................28


Query Text...........................................................................................................28
Query Diagram....................................................................................................28
Execution Plan Example (W128-D64).................................................................29
Results.................................................................................................................29

FNSC: Database Function...........................................................................30


Query Text - Main................................................................................................30
Query Text - Function.........................................................................................30
Query/Function Diagram.....................................................................................31

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Execution Plan Example - Main...........................................................................31


Execution Plan Example Function....................................................................31
Results.................................................................................................................32

SSKP: Select Scalar Subquery, Keep...........................................................33


Query Text...........................................................................................................33
Query Diagram....................................................................................................34
Execution Plan Example (W1-D1024).................................................................34
Results.................................................................................................................34

SSSM: Select Scalar Subquery, Max............................................................34


Query Text...........................................................................................................34
Query Diagram....................................................................................................35
Execution Plan Example (W1-D1024).................................................................35
Results.................................................................................................................35

SSOB: Select Scalar Subquery, Order By.....................................................35


Query Text...........................................................................................................35
Query Diagram....................................................................................................36
Results.................................................................................................................36

Analysis of Results...........................................................................................37
Slice Analysis.............................................................................................37
Narrow Slice........................................................................................................37
Wide Slice............................................................................................................38
Shallow Slice.......................................................................................................40
Deep Slice...........................................................................................................41

Summary Analysis......................................................................................43
Tables and Graphs of Relative Performance ......................................................43
Which Query is Best?..........................................................................................44

Cost Based Optimizer.................................................................................44


CBO Cardinalities................................................................................................44
Inline View Modifier.............................................................................................45
Subquery Factoring Modifier...............................................................................45
Performance of JNSQ...........................................................................................45
Performance of Database Function and Scalar Subquery Strategies.................46
General Conclusions............................................................................................46

Query Testing Program....................................................................................47


Call Structure Diagram...............................................................................47
Data Flow Diagram.....................................................................................48
Table Structures.........................................................................................48
Generic Tables....................................................................................................48
Specific Tables for our HR Queries.....................................................................49

Program Logic............................................................................................49
Example Output.........................................................................................50
References.......................................................................................................52

Change Record
Date

Author

Version

Change Reference

02-May-2011
03-May-2011
20-Jun-2011
25-Sep-2011

BPF
BPF
BPF
BPF

1.0
1.1
1.2
1.3

Initial
Typos and references
More typos and reference to new article
References now hyperlinks, and minor tidying

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Introduction
It is a very common requirement in SQL to join two record sets where there is a one to many relationship
between the two sets, but where the cardinality of the result set is the same as that of the set on the 'one'
side. The obvious case is for standard grouping and aggregation querying, such as simply counting the
number of records in the 'many' set for each record in the 'one' set. There are also some slightly less
obvious cases where there may be various SQL techniques available, with varying performance and
complexity characteristics. This article looks at two such cases: the first where one wishes to join multiple
subtypes of a given entity this is generally referred to as pivoting from rows to columns; and the second
where one wishes to join just one record from the 'many' set, but does not have a pure join condition to
identify the record and so must use an ordering condition instead I will call this pruning.
This work attempts to find the best SQL techniques for such queries in Oracle 11g, mainly in terms of
performance. It does this by running a variety of queries within the context of an outbound interface
against a deliberately simple data model across a two-dimensional range of data sizes. A simple generic
PL/SQL package has been written to perform the testing efficiently, and it uses a previously described
object type for timing (a more recent version is described here: Code Timing and Object Orientation and
Zombies). Visio diagrams are provided for query structures, based on a similar approach previously
described (A Structured Approach to SQL Query Design), and Microsoft Excel graphs are used to display
comparative performances. The results reveal some interesting features of the behaviour of the Cost
Based Optimiser in Oracle 11g.
The output file is provided here.

Hardware/Software Summary
Component
Database
Diagrammer
Grapher
Operating System
Computer

110516346.doc

Description
Oracle Database 11g Express Edition Release 11.2.0.2.0 - Beta
Microsoft Visio 2003 (11.3216.5606)
Microsoft Excel 2007
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32 bit)
Samsung X120, 3GB memory, Intel U4100 @ 1.3GHz x 2 (XE only uses 1 though)

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Overview
Problem Description
The SQL problem is to obtain a single output record for each master record, to include a single best value
of a field in the detail record for each of several subtypes.

We consider a simple example scenario where the master table is employees in Oracles demo HR
schema, and the detail table is a new table, phone_numbers, a simplified version of hz_contact_points in
Oracle Applications. The phone_numbers table has records of four subtypes: HOME, WORK, MOBILE,
FAX, and a valid from date, where the most recent number is preferred for a given type, with the maximum
number used as a tie-breaker. Well assume that an employee should always be returned even if he has
no phone numbers.
In the real world, this kind of query might be used in an outbound interface that supplies the latest contact
details on a companys customers to a third-party supplier for marketing or other purposes. In that kind of
case, there would typically be a small number of detail records across a relative large table. This would be
the wide-shallow scenario discussed below. Another kind of real world example might be a CRM
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(Customer Relations Management) system in which one wants a report on the most recent customer
interactions, and this could fall into the wide/narrow-deep scenarios.

Test Data Sets


We will test the performance of the queries across a range of sizes of the master table, denoted by a width
dimension, and the detail table, denoted by a depth dimension. The maximum sizes are constrained by
the execution time and storage capacity on a small laptop running Oracle 11g XE, so we will use a wide
data set and a deep data set for better coverage. The data sets are shown in the table below, where the
cells contain the number of detail records against each dimension pair, and the second row (# W =>) has
the numbers of master records.
Starting from the base sizes (W1, D1) of 4 details (one of each subtype) for each of 107 master records
(being the number of employees in the HR demo schema), the dimensions double successively. Test data
are generated by copying the 107 seed employees with a sequence number added to the names, and
generating random 9-digit phone numbers with the valid from date a random day within a given period. We
used a single year for the wide data set, which would have a lot of duplicates, and a 50 year period for the
deep data set, with fewer duplicates (the difference didnt affect performance significantly). In order to test
outer-joinery, one employee has all phone numbers deleted and another has all FAX numbers deleted
(thats why the cell values are slightly smaller than the products of the dimension values). Rows D1-D64
form the wide data set, while columns W1-W8 form the deep data set.
#D/W
#W
=>
D1

W1

W2

W4

W8

W16

W32

W64

W128

107

214

428

856

1,712

3,424

6,848

13,696

423

851

1,707

3,419

6,843

13,691

27,387

54,779

D2

846

1,702

3,414

6,838

13,686

27,382

54,774

109,558

D4

16

1,692

3,404

6,828

13,676

27,372

54,764

109,548

219,116

D8

32

3,384

6,808

13,656

27,352

54,744

109,528

219,096

438,232

D16

64

6,768

13,616

27,312

54,704

109,488

219,056

438,192

876,464

D32

128

13,536

27,232

54,624

109,408

218,976

438,112

876,384

1,752,928

D64

256

27,072

54,464

109,248

218,816

437,952

876,224

1,752,768

3,505,856

D128

512

54,144

108,928

218,496

437,632

875,904

1,752,448

3,505,536

D256

1,024

108,288

217,856

436,992

875,264

1,751,808

3,504,896

7,011,072

D512

2,048

216,576

435,712

873,984

1,750,528

3,503,616

7,009,792

D102
4

4,096

433,152

871,424

1,747,968

3,501,056

7,007,232

14,019,58
4

7,011,712
14,023,42
4
28,046,84
8
56,093,69
6

14,022,14
4
28,044,28
8

Pivot and Prune Query Strategies


Pivot Strategies
Oracle Database 11g introduced an explicit SQL syntax for pivoting rows to columns, using the new
keyword PIVOT. Prior to 11g one could simulate this by the use of grouping and CASE expressions, but
there seems little value in considering this approach now. There are other approaches however that are
sufficiently different for it to be interesting to evaluate them.

Pivot
Strateg
y
Pivot
Join
Select
Scalar
Subquer
y

110516346.doc

Notes
Oracle 11g explicit PIVOT syntax.
Repeat the tables and joins for each subtype. This is quite a commonly
used strategy but might be expected to be inefficient due to additional
table reads. Efficiency can be improved by combining with the Oracle
10g feature of subquery factoring, using the WITH keyword.
Obtain each subtype column using a separate scalar subquery on the
detail table in the Select clause, correlated to the master record. The
detail table then does not appear in the main query. This might also be
expected to be inefficient since multiple queries are effectively repeated
for every row; however, there may be scenarios where this effect is
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Databas
e
function

outweighed by benefits such as improved index usage.


This is similar to the select scalar subquery strategy in that the detail
table is removed from the main query, but here is moved into a separate
function call. This might be expected to have similar performance
characteristics, but with some added overhead from the PL/SQL context
switch; it also has a theoretical disadvantage in that read-consistency is
not guaranteed. This strategy is quite widely used

Prune Strategies
Oracle Database version 9.0.1 introduced an explicit SQL syntax for pruning rows via aggregate
functions, using the keyword KEEP, with FIRST or LAST. Prior to this, pruning could be achieved by
combining various non-purpose-built techniques, and it seems that these alternatives continue to be
widely used today.

Prune
Strateg
y

Keep

Analytic
s
Select
Scalar
Subquer
y
Join
Scalar
Subquer
y
Order
By
Max

Notes
The maximum function can be applied to an expression on the detail
record with the KEEP clause specifying that the maximum is over only
those records ranking first (or last) in a given ordering. This is Oracles
explicit pruning syntax and so might be expected to perform well. From
the SQL manual (REF-1):
When you need a value from the first or last row of a sorted group, but
the needed value is not the sort key, the FIRST and LAST functions
eliminate the need for self-joins or views and enable better performance.
The detail table can be placed within an inline view where the analytic
function Row_Number can be selected to rank the records; a condition is
then placed outside the view that the rank equals 1.
The same approach as mentioned above for pivoting can also be used for
pruning, where the pruning takes place within its own subquery in the
Select clause; there are various possible subquery implementations
Select an expression defining the preferred record in a subquery
correlated to the master record, and join the main record. Aside from the
obvious performance disadvantage of additional reads of the detail table,
applying this strategy directly prevents outer joining; however, when
used in conjunction with subquery factoring, outer joining to the factor is
possible
The detail records are selected within an inline view in the preferred
order, then a condition is applied outside the view that ROWNUM = 1.
This has to be used within a database function: we tried to use it within a
select scalar subquery but the SQL is invalid.
Within a select scalar subquery a maximum is taken of an expression
that prepends the ordering fields to the desired select field, using
appropriate type casting (e.g. taking the Julian format for a date)

Strategy Modifiers
There are some general SQL techniques that can be used in conjunction with the above pivot and prune
strategies in some cases, and that may affect performance.

Strateg
y
Modifier
Subquer
y
Factorin
g
110516346.doc

Notes
This feature was introduced in Oracle 10g, and, using the WITH keyword,
allows a subquery to be defined once and subsequently referenced
several times by its alias. Where appropriate Oracle will run the subquery
in advance and store the results in a temporary table to improve
performance. Unlike with subqueries in the where clause of a query,
outer joins can be used.
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Inline
View

An inline view is a subquery in brackets in the position of a table in the


FROM clause of a query. It can affect performance by influencing the
execution plan, as well see.

Test Combinations
The table below lists the queries tested with the strategies employed. Note that not all combinations of
strategies make sense, but we have tried to cover all that do.

Code
Pivot
Prune
Modifier
Notes
Main query set tested on both wide and deep data sets, except JNSQ wide only
Join Scalar
JNSQ
Join
Subquery
Join Scalar
Subquery
WJSQ
Join
Subquery
Factoring
Subquery
WJAN
Join
Analytic s
Factoring
Subquery
WJKP
Join
Keep
Factoring
PVAN
Pivot
Analytic s
Pruning is done
PVANIV
Pivot
Analytic s
Inline View
within the inline
view
PVKP
Pivot
Keep
Pruning is done
PVKPIV
Pivot
Keep
Inline View
within the inline
view
Database
FNSC
Order By
Inline View
Function
Additional queries tested on W1-D1024 only - we tried to match the performance
characteristics of FNSC on the narrow-deep data set without using a database
function
Select Scalar
SSSM
Max
Subquery
Select Scalar
SSKP
Keep
Subquery
Same pruning
strategy as
FNSC but within
query. The
Select Scalar
query is invalid
SSOB
Order By
Inline View
Subquery
owing to the
need to
correlate
through two
levels

Testing Strategy
In order to provide a realistic scenario, the queries are executed within the context of a simple outbound
interface that writes each record to a file as a comma-separated string. A small PL/SQL package has been
written to automate the testing. The program loops over width and depth dimensions, and for each data
set point makes a call to a separate package to set up the test data and have the CBO statistics gathered;
it then loops over a set of queries defined in the same separate package as strings that are executed by
the main package. Detailed timings are made using the timing objects mentioned earlier and written to a
generic log table. The total CPU and elapsed times for the query and data set point are written to a special
run statistics table, from which they can be output in a form easily loaded into Microsoft Excel. The times
can be viewed as a function of the 2-dimensional width-depth domain, and displayed as a 3-dimensional
surface graph for each query.
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The execution plan is obtained in each case, using an Oracle API, and is written to the generic log. The
query string includes a random number that guarantees a hard-parse and thus recalculation of the
execution plans at each data set point. Further details of the packages and supporting tables are given in
a later section.
The testing strategy here seemed to me to provide much greater insight than the more conventional
approach of testing on a single large data set, and was later used again in Forming Range-Based Break
Groups with Advanced SQL, and other articles.

Output Files
The complete output files are provided in SQL Pivot and Prune Queries Output.

LST File
Test_Phone_8-7.LST
Test_Phone_411.LST
Test_Phone_111.LST
Test_Phone_111_3.LST

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Notes
Wide data set first 9 queries
Deep data set - first 9 queries, except JNSQ
W1-D1024, SSKP, SSSM, FNSC testing select scalar
subqueries
W1-D1024, PVKP, PVKPG, PVKPIV CBO grouping problem

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The Queries
For each query subsection, the following are provided (for the main queries, the last three were added
later and have a bit less):

The query text in static form for readability; the program in fact uses dynamic SQL and
consequently the random number at the end of the CSV string ensures that the query is hardparsed for each data set point

A query diagram. The diagrams use extended versions of notation first described in A Structured
Approach to SQL Query Design

The last Execution Plan output on the wide data set (usually)

A results section, split into wide and deep data sets, with tables of CPU times and 3-d graphs
generated from Microsoft Excel. Analysis is reserved for a later section

JNSQ: Join, Subquery


Query Text
SELECT /* JNSQ*/
'"' || emp.first_name || ' ' || emp.last_name || '","' || pho_h.phone_number || '","' ||
pho_w.phone_number || '","' || pho_m.phone_number || '","' || pho_f.phone_number || '8098"'
FROM employees
emp
JOIN phone_numbers
pho_h
ON pho_h.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND pho_h.phone_type
= 'HOME'
AND TO_CHAR (pho_h.valid_from, 'J') || pho_h.phone_number = (
SELECT MAX (TO_CHAR (sbq_h.valid_from, 'J') || sbq_h.phone_number)
FROM phone_numbers
sbq_h
WHERE sbq_h.employee_id
= pho_h.employee_id
AND sbq_h.phone_type
= pho_h.phone_type
)
JOIN phone_numbers
pho_w
ON pho_w.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND pho_w.phone_type
= 'WORK'
AND TO_CHAR (pho_w.valid_from, 'J') || pho_w.phone_number = (
SELECT MAX (TO_CHAR (sbq_w.valid_from, 'J') || sbq_w.phone_number)
FROM phone_numbers
sbq_w
WHERE sbq_w.employee_id
= pho_w.employee_id
AND sbq_w.phone_type
= pho_w.phone_type
)
JOIN phone_numbers
pho_m
ON pho_m.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND pho_m.phone_type
= 'MOBILE'
AND TO_CHAR (pho_m.valid_from, 'J') || pho_m.phone_number = (
SELECT MAX (TO_CHAR (sbq_m.valid_from, 'J') || sbq_m.phone_number)
FROM phone_numbers
sbq_m
WHERE sbq_m.employee_id
= pho_m.employee_id
AND sbq_m.phone_type
= pho_m.phone_type
)
JOIN phone_numbers
pho_f
ON pho_f.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND pho_f.phone_type
= 'FAX'
AND TO_CHAR (pho_f.valid_from, 'J') || pho_f.phone_number = (
SELECT MAX (TO_CHAR (sbq_f.valid_from, 'J') || sbq_f.phone_number)
FROM phone_numbers
sbq_f
WHERE sbq_f.employee_id
= pho_f.em ployee_id
AND sbq_f.phone_type
= pho_f.phone_type
)
ORDER BY 1

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Query Diagram

Execution Plan Example (W64-D16)


In the example below, the top level cardinality estimate of 1 is clearly poor, since the number of rows
returned is the number of employees less 2 due to the inner joins where phone numbers were deleted,
giving 6,846. In addition, it is highly unlikely that not driving from the master table could be optimal.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes | Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
| 1777 (100)|
|
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|
1 | SORT ORDER BY
|
|
1 |
220 | 1777
(2)| 00:00:22 |
|
2 |
NESTED LOOPS
|
|
1 |
220 | 1776
(1)| 00:00:22 |
|
3 |
NESTED LOOPS
|
|
1 |
201 | 1710
(1)| 00:00:21 |
|
4 |
NESTED LOOPS
|
|
1 |
182 | 1644
(2)| 00:00:20 |
|
5 |
NESTED LOOPS
|
|
1 |
155 | 1642
(2)| 00:00:20 |
|
6 |
NESTED LOOPS
|
|
1 |
128 | 1577
(2)| 00:00:19 |
|
7 |
NESTED LOOPS
|
|
3 |
327 | 1379
(2)| 00:00:17 |
|
8 |
NESTED LOOPS
|
|
1 |
82 | 1314
(2)| 00:00:16 |
|* 9 |
HASH JOIN
|
|
1 |
55 | 1313
(2)| 00:00:16 |
| 10 |
VIEW
| VW_SQ_1
| 4840 |
99K|
658
(2)| 00:00:08 |
| 11 |
HASH GROUP BY
|
| 4840 |
122K|
658
(2)| 00:00:08 |
|* 12 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| PHONE_NUMBERS
|
109K| 2774K|
653
(1)| 00:00:08 |
|* 13 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| PHONE_NUMBERS
|
109K| 3628K|
654
(1)| 00:00:08 |
| 14 |
TABLE ACCESS BY INDEX ROWID| EMPLOYEES
|
1 |
27 |
1
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 15 |
INDEX UNIQUE SCAN
| EMP_EMP_ID_PK
|
1 |
|
0
(0)|
|
|* 16 |
TABLE ACCESS BY INDEX ROWID | PHONE_NUMBERS
|
16 |
432 |
65
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 17 |
INDEX RANGE SCAN
| PHONE_NUMBERS_N2 |
64 |
|
2
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 18 |
VIEW PUSHED PREDICATE
| VW_SQ_4
|
1 |
19 |
66
(0)| 00:00:01 |
| 19 |
SORT GROUP BY
|
|
1 |
26 |
66
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 20 |
TABLE ACCESS BY INDEX ROWID| PHONE_NUMBERS
|
16 |
416 |
66
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 21 |
INDEX RANGE SCAN
| PHONE_NUMBERS_N2 |
64 |
|
3
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 22 |
TABLE ACCESS BY INDEX ROWID
| PHONE_NUMBERS
|
16 |
432 |
65
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 23 |
INDEX RANGE SCAN
| PHONE_NUMBERS_N2 |
64 |
|
2
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 24 |
TABLE ACCESS BY INDEX ROWID
| PHONE_NUMBERS
|
16 |
432 |
2
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 25 |
INDEX RANGE SCAN
| PHONE_NUMBERS_N2 |
64 |
|
2
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 26 |
VIEW PUSHED PREDICATE
| VW_SQ_3
|
1 |
19 |
66
(0)| 00:00:01 |
| 27 |
SORT GROUP BY
|
|
1 |
26 |
66
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 28 |
TABLE ACCESS BY INDEX ROWID
| PHONE_NUMBERS
|
16 |
416 |
66
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 29 |
INDEX RANGE SCAN
| PHONE_NUMBERS_N2 |
64 |
|
3
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 30 |
VIEW PUSHED PREDICATE
| VW_SQ_2
|
1 |
19 |
66
(0)| 00:00:01 |
| 31 |
SORT GROUP BY
|
|
1 |
26 |
66
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 32 |
TABLE ACCESS BY INDEX ROWID
| PHONE_NUMBERS
|
16 |
416 |
66
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 33 |
INDEX RANGE SCAN
| PHONE_NUMBERS_N2 |
64 |
|
3
(0)| 00:00:01 |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Predicate Information (identified by operation id):
--------------------------------------------------9 - access("VW_COL_1"=TO_CHAR(INTERNAL_FUNCTION("VALID_FROM"),'j')||"PHONE_NUMBER" AND
"ITEM_1"="PHO_F"."EMPLOYEE_ID" AND "ITEM_2"="PHO_F"."PHONE_TYPE")
12 - filter("SBQ_F"."PHONE_TYPE"='FAX')
13 - filter("PHO_F"."PHONE_TYPE"='FAX')
15 - access("PHO_F"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
16 - filter("PHO_H"."PHONE_TYPE"='HOME')
17 - access("PHO_H"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
18 - filter("VW_COL_1"="PHO_H"."SYS_NC00007$")
20 - filter("SBQ_H"."PHONE_TYPE"='HOME')
21 - access("SBQ_H"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="PHO_H"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
22 - filter("PHO_M"."PHONE_TYPE"='MOBILE')
23 - access("PHO_M"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
24 - filter("PHO_W"."PHONE_TYPE"='WORK')
25 - access("PHO_W"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
26 - filter("VW_COL_1"="PHO_W"."SYS_NC00007$")
28 - filter("SBQ_W"."PHONE_TYPE"='WORK')
29 - access("SBQ_W"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="PHO_W"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
30 - filter("VW_COL_1"="PHO_M"."SYS_NC00007$")
32 - filter("SBQ_M"."PHONE_TYPE"='MOBILE')
33 - access("SBQ_M"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="PHO_M"."EMPLOYEE_ID")

Results
Wide Data Set
Table of CPU Times
Note that the testing program iterates over the depth dimension within the width dimension
loop, and stops the inner iteration once a CPU time of 300 seconds has been exceeded, hence
the gaps.

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64

W1
W2
W4
W8
W16
W32
W64
W128
1.35
1.73
2
2.15
2.34
4.01
7.3
13.53
1.29
1.94
2.71
3.49
5.37
10.26
20.02
34.59
1.51
2.39
4.02
8.99
11.63
21.29
34.43
67.66
1.89
4.28
7.47
24.91
15.56
28.7 154.86 298.62
2.95
7.83 163.68 320.74
608
85.89 878.53 324.23
5.98
16.54
55.29
213.4
14.59
59.48 159.65
292.08

Graph
110516346.doc

Page 12 of 52

Deep Data Set (not tested as JNSQ clearly uncompetitive)


Notes
The performance across the data set points is very erratic. For example, for D16, doubling the width
dimension from W16 to W32 caused the CPU time to drop from 608s to 86s. This clearly indicates that the
CBO had followed a highly sub-optimal execution plan for the former. This query is the most complicated
of those tested, having 9 table instances, but it may still be considered surprising that performance (of the
CBO) was so poor for what in the real world would not be an especially complex query. It is not part of the
scope to analyse the execution plans in detail, but one may observe that the worse ones do three full
scans of the detail table while the better ones do only two.
It might be worth noting that the best execution plan would most likely decompose into one subplan for
obtaining the detail records and joining them to an employee-based record set, repeated four times, plus
one to obtain the employees (which would drive). However, the CBO would not be likely to see it that way.

WJSQ: With, Subquery


Query Text
WITH wit AS (
SELECT pho.employee_id,
pho.phone_type,
pho.phone_number
FROM phone_numbers
pho
WHERE TO_CHAR (pho.valid_from, 'J') || pho.phone_number = (
SELECT MAX (TO_CHAR (sbq.valid_from, 'J') || sbq.phone_number)
FROM phone_numbers sbq
WHERE sbq.employee_id = pho.employee_id
AND sbq.phone_type = pho.phone_type
)
)
SELECT
/* WJSQ*/
'"' || emp.first_name || ' ' || emp.last_name || '","' || wit_h.phone_number || '","' ||
wit_w.phone_number || '","' || wit_m.phone_number || '","' || wit_f.phone_number || '4121"'
FROM employees
emp
LEFT JOIN wit
wit_h
ON wit_h.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND wit_h.phone_type
= 'HOME'
LEFT JOIN wit
wit_w
ON wit_w.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND wit_w.phone_type
= 'WORK'
LEFT JOIN wit
wit_m
ON wit_m.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND wit_m.phone_type
= 'MOBILE'
LEFT JOIN wit
wit_f
ON wit_f.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND wit_f.phone_type
= 'FAX'
ORDER BY 1

110516346.doc

Page 13 of 52

Query Diagram

Execution Plan Example (W128-D64)


The subquery factoring system table is actually named SYS_TEMP_0FD9D66F3_71C4A6, but I truncated
it to avoid line wrapping below.
Notice how poor the cardinality estimate of 1 is on the subquery factor table. The actual number would be
approximately four times the number of employees (13,696), i.e. 54,784, owing to the subquery
correlation. On the other hand, the final cardinality estimate is about right.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes |TempSpc| Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
| 28090 (100)|
|
110516346.doc

Page 14 of 52

|
1 | TEMP TABLE TRANSFORMATION |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
LOAD AS SELECT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|* 3 |
HASH JOIN
|
|
1 |
64 | 1592K| 27704
(2)| 00:05:33 |
|
4 |
VIEW
| VW_SQ_1
| 38739 | 1134K|
| 14699
(2)| 00:02:57 |
|
5 |
SORT GROUP BY
|
| 38739 |
983K|
121M| 14699
(2)| 00:02:57 |
|* 6 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| PHONE_NUMBERS
| 3509K|
87M|
| 5285
(2)| 00:01:04 |
|
7 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| PHONE_NUMBERS
| 3509K|
113M|
| 5265
(1)| 00:01:04 |
|
8 |
SORT ORDER BY
|
| 13583 | 1313K| 1520K|
386
(2)| 00:00:05 |
|* 9 |
HASH JOIN RIGHT OUTER
|
| 13583 | 1313K|
|
78
(3)| 00:00:01 |
|* 10 |
VIEW
|
|
1 |
18 |
|
2
(0)| 00:00:01 |
| 11 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| SYS_TEMP_0FD9D66F|
1 |
19 |
|
2
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 12 |
HASH JOIN RIGHT OUTER |
| 13583 | 1074K|
|
76
(3)| 00:00:01 |
|* 13 |
VIEW
|
|
1 |
18 |
|
2
(0)| 00:00:01 |
| 14 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| SYS_TEMP_0FD9D66F|
1 |
19 |
|
2
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 15 |
HASH JOIN RIGHT OUTER |
| 13583 |
835K|
|
73
(2)| 00:00:01 |
|* 16 |
VIEW
|
|
1 |
18 |
|
2
(0)| 00:00:01 |
| 17 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| SYS_TEMP_0FD9D66F|
1 |
19 |
|
2
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 18 |
HASH JOIN RIGHT OUTER|
| 13583 |
596K|
|
71
(2)| 00:00:01 |
|* 19 |
VIEW
|
|
1 |
18 |
|
2
(0)| 00:00:01 |
| 20 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL | SYS_TEMP_0FD9D66F|
1 |
19 |
|
2
(0)| 00:00:01 |
| 21 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| EMPLOYEES
| 13583 |
358K|
|
68
(0)| 00:00:01 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Predicate Information (identified by operation id):
--------------------------------------------------3 - access("VW_COL_1"=TO_CHAR(INTERNAL_FUNCTION("VALID_FROM"),'j')||"PHONE_NUMBER" AND
"ITEM_0"="PHO"."EMPLOYEE_ID" AND "ITEM_1"="PHO"."PHONE_TYPE")
6 - filter(("SBQ"."PHONE_TYPE"='FAX' OR "SBQ"."PHONE_TYPE"='HOME' OR "SBQ"."PHONE_TYPE"='MOBILE' OR
"SBQ"."PHONE_TYPE"='WORK'))
9 - access("WIT_F"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
10 - filter("WIT_F"."PHONE_TYPE"='FAX')
12 - access("WIT_M"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
13 - filter("WIT_M"."PHONE_TYPE"='MOBILE')
15 - access("WIT_W"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
16 - filter("WIT_W"."PHONE_TYPE"='WORK')
18 - access("WIT_H"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
19 - filter("WIT_H"."PHONE_TYPE"='HOME')

Results
Wide Data Set
Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64

W1
W2
W4
W8
W16
W32
W64
W128
0.13
0.22
0.24
0.37
0.67
1.17
2.16
4.44
0.14
0.19
0.28
0.41
0.68
1.29
2.26
4.62
0.15
0.18
0.28
0.45
0.75
1.39
2.75
5.05
0.16
0.24
0.31
0.56
0.93
1.67
3.3
6.14
0.16
0.28
0.38
0.63
1.17
2.19
4.34
8.7
0.22
0.3
0.5
0.93
1.73
3.4
6.47
13.22
0.3
0.42
0.79
1.42
2.73
5.7
11.6
22.62

Graph

110516346.doc

Page 15 of 52

Deep Data Set


Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64
D128
D256
D512
D1024

W1
W2
W4
W8
0.19
0.21
0.23
0.38
0.19
0.23
0.25
0.41
0.14
0.2
0.26
0.42
0.15
0.21
0.29
0.48
0.17
0.22
0.39
0.61
0.22
0.3
0.54
0.88
0.28
0.47
0.73
1.42
0.44
0.67
1.28
2.5
0.62
1.19
2.38
4.59
1.11
2.15
4.45
9.54
1.43
2.76
5.74
12.59

Graph

WJAN: With, Analytic


Query Text
WITH wit AS (
SELECT ilv.employee_id,
ilv.phone_type,
ilv.pho_number
FROM (
SELECT pho.employee_id,
pho.phone_type,
pho.phone_number,
Row_Number() OVER (PARTITION BY PHO.employee_id, pho.phone_type ORDER BY pho.valid_from
DESC, pho.phone_number) ind
FROM phone_numbers pho
)
ilv
WHERE ilv.ind
= 1
)
SELECT /* WJAN*/
'"' || emp.first_name || ' ' || emp.last_name || '","' || wit_h.phone_number || '","' ||
wit_w.phone_number || '","' || wit_m.phone_number || '","' || wit_f.phone_number || '3006"'
FROM employees
emp
LEFT JOIN wit
wit_h
ON wit_h.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND wit_h.phone_type
= 'HOME'
LEFT JOIN wit
wit_w
ON wit_w.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND wit_w.phone_type
= 'WORK'
LEFT JOIN wit
wit_m
ON wit_m.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND wit_m.phone_type
= 'MOBILE'
LEFT JOIN wit
wit_f
ON wit_f.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND wit_f.phone_type
= 'FAX'
110516346.doc

Page 16 of 52

ORDER BY 1

Query Diagram

Execution Plan Example (W128-D64)


The subquery factoring system table is actually named SYS_TEMP_0FD9D66F2_71C4A6, but I truncated
it to avoid line wrapping below.
Notice how poor the cardinality estimate of 3,509,000 (about the number of phone numbers) is on the
subquery factor table. The actual number would be approximately four times the number of employees
(13,696), i.e. 54,784. Also, the final cardinality estimate is very poor, presumably just because of the initial
mistake - 63T means, I think, 63,000,000,000,000, when the actual number would be the number of
employees (13,696),
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes |TempSpc| Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
|
14G(100)|
|
|
1 | TEMP TABLE TRANSFORMATION |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
LOAD AS SELECT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|* 3 |
VIEW
|
| 3509K|
107M|
| 31925
(1)| 00:06:24 |
|* 4 |
WINDOW SORT PUSHED RANK|
| 3509K|
90M|
134M| 31925
(1)| 00:06:24 |
|
5 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| PHONE_NUMBERS | 3509K|
90M|
| 5265
(1)| 00:01:04 |
|
6 |
SORT ORDER BY
|
|
63T| 5720T| 6574T|
14G (41)|999:59:59 |
|* 7 |
HASH JOIN RIGHT OUTER
|
|
63T| 5720T|
100M| 1494M (18)|999:59:59 |
110516346.doc

Page 17 of 52

|* 8 |
VIEW
|
| 3509K|
60M|
| 5063
(1)| 00:01:01 |
|
9 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| SYS_TEMP_0FD9D6| 3509K|
63M|
| 5063
(1)| 00:01:01 |
|* 10 |
HASH JOIN RIGHT OUTER |
|
242G|
17T|
100M| 4830K (21)| 16:06:11 |
|* 11 |
VIEW
|
| 3509K|
60M|
| 5063
(1)| 00:01:01 |
| 12 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| SYS_TEMP_0FD9D6| 3509K|
63M|
| 5063
(1)| 00:01:01 |
|* 13 |
HASH JOIN RIGHT OUTER |
|
928M|
54G|
100M| 30789 (13)| 00:06:10 |
|* 14 |
VIEW
|
| 3509K|
60M|
| 5063
(1)| 00:01:01 |
| 15 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| SYS_TEMP_0FD9D6| 3509K|
63M|
| 5063
(1)| 00:01:01 |
|* 16 |
HASH JOIN OUTER
|
| 3552K|
152M|
| 5146
(1)| 00:01:02 |
| 17 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| EMPLOYEES
| 13583 |
358K|
|
68
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 18 |
VIEW
|
| 3509K|
60M|
| 5063
(1)| 00:01:01 |
| 19 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL | SYS_TEMP_0FD9D6| 3509K|
63M|
| 5063
(1)| 00:01:01 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Predicate Information (identified by operation id):
--------------------------------------------------3 - filter("ILV"."IND"=1)
4 - filter(ROW_NUMBER() OVER ( PARTITION BY "PHO"."EMPLOYEE_ID","PHO"."PHONE_TYPE" ORDER BY
INTERNAL_FUNCTION("PHO"."VALID_FROM") DESC ,"PHO"."PHONE_NUMBER")<=1)
7 - access("WIT_F"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
8 - filter("WIT_F"."PHONE_TYPE"='FAX')
10 - access("WIT_M"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
11 - filter("WIT_M"."PHONE_TYPE"='MOBILE')
13 - access("WIT_W"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
14 - filter("WIT_W"."PHONE_TYPE"='WORK')
16 - access("WIT_H"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
18 - filter("WIT_H"."PHONE_TYPE"='HOME')

Results
Wide Data Set
Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64

W1
W2
W4
W8
W16
W32
W64
W128
0.14
0.14
0.24
0.34
0.64
1.06
2.11
4.31
0.14
0.16
0.27
0.44
0.58
1.11
2.25
4.39
0.14
0.19
0.28
0.45
0.67
1.25
2.39
4.97
0.14
0.2
0.28
0.47
0.83
1.53
3.07
6.19
0.16
0.23
0.39
0.69
1.13
2.13
4.42
8.72
0.17
0.32
0.52
0.97
1.74
3.48
7.05
12.49
0.34
0.45
0.85
1.65
3.41
6.71
10.42
21.31

Graph

Deep Data Set


Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
110516346.doc

W1
W2
W4
W8
0.15
0.2
0.27
0.32
0.14
0.19
0.26
0.39
0.14
0.19
0.27
0.42
0.14
0.19
0.27
0.44
Page 18 of 52

D16
D32
D64
D128
D256
D512
D1024

0.17
0.18
0.24
0.42
0.8
1.56
3.36

0.23
0.25
0.44
0.78
1.56
3.17
6.94

0.32
0.47
0.86
1.62
3.18
6.68
9.86

0.61
0.89
1.58
3.09
6.44
9.89
19.2

Graph

WJKP: With, Keep


Query Text
WITH wit AS (
SELECT pho.employee_id,
pho.phone_type,
MAX (pho.phone_number) KEEP (DENSE_RANK LAST ORDER BY pho.valid_from) phone_number
FROM phone_numbers
pho
GROUP BY pho.employee_id, pho.phone_type
)
SELECT /* WJKP*/
'"' || emp.first_name || ' ' || emp.last_name || '","' || wit_h.phone_number || '","' ||
wit_w.phone_number || '","' || wit_m.phone_number || '","' || wit_f.phone_number || '1970"'
FROM employees
emp
LEFT JOIN wit
wit_h
ON wit_h.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND wit_h.phone_type
= 'HOME'
LEFT JOIN wit
wit_w
ON wit_w.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND wit_w.phone_type
= 'WORK'
LEFT JOIN wit
wit_m
ON wit_m.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND wit_m.phone_type
= 'MOBILE'
LEFT JOIN wit
wit_f
ON wit_f.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
AND wit_f.phone_type
= 'FAX'
ORDER BY 1

110516346.doc

Page 19 of 52

Query Diagram

Execution Plan Example (W128-D64)


The subquery factoring system table is actually named SYS_TEMP_0FD9D66F3_71C4A6, but I truncated
it to avoid line wrapping below.
Notice that the cardinality estimate of 38,739 on the subquery factor table is not too far off the actual
number, that would be approximately four times the number of employees (13,696), i.e. 54,784. On the
other hand, the final cardinality estimate of 943,000 is a long way off the actual number, 13,696.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes |TempSpc| Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
| 38505 (100)|
|
|
1 | TEMP TABLE TRANSFORMATION |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
LOAD AS SELECT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
SORT GROUP BY
|
| 38739 | 1021K|
134M| 14919
(2)| 00:03:00 |
|
4 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| PHONE_NUMBERS
| 3509K|
90M|
| 5265
(1)| 00:01:04 |
|
5 |
SORT ORDER BY
|
|
943K|
89M|
102M| 23586
(1)| 00:04:44 |
|* 6 |
HASH JOIN RIGHT OUTER
|
|
943K|
89M| 1136K| 2351
(1)| 00:00:29 |
|* 7 |
VIEW
|
| 38739 |
680K|
|
40
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|
8 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| SYS_TEMP_0FD9D66| 38739 |
643K|
|
40
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 9 |
HASH JOIN RIGHT OUTER |
|
326K|
25M| 1136K|
812
(1)| 00:00:10 |
|* 10 |
VIEW
|
| 38739 |
680K|
|
40
(0)| 00:00:01 |
| 11 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| SYS_TEMP_0FD9D66| 38739 |
643K|
|
40
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 12 |
HASH JOIN RIGHT OUTER |
|
113K| 6963K| 1136K|
312
(1)| 00:00:04 |
|* 13 |
VIEW
|
| 38739 |
680K|
|
40
(0)| 00:00:01 |
| 14 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| SYS_TEMP_0FD9D66| 38739 |
643K|
|
40
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 15 |
HASH JOIN OUTER
|
| 39210 | 1723K|
|
109
(1)| 00:00:02 |
| 16 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| EMPLOYEES
| 13583 |
358K|
|
68
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 17 |
VIEW
|
| 38739 |
680K|
|
40
(0)| 00:00:01 |
| 18 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL | SYS_TEMP_0FD9D66| 38739 |
643K|
|
40
(0)| 00:00:01 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------110516346.doc

Page 20 of 52

Predicate Information (identified by operation id):


--------------------------------------------------6
7
9
10
12
13
15
17

access("WIT_F"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
filter("WIT_F"."PHONE_TYPE"='FAX')
access("WIT_M"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
filter("WIT_M"."PHONE_TYPE"='MOBILE')
access("WIT_W"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
filter("WIT_W"."PHONE_TYPE"='WORK')
access("WIT_H"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
filter("WIT_H"."PHONE_TYPE"='HOME')

Results
Wide Data Set
Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64

W1
W2
W4
W8
W16
W32
W64
W128
0.15
0.18
0.23
0.36
0.62
1.09
2.07
4.16
0.15
0.17
0.26
0.32
0.66
1.08
2.09
4.04
0.14
0.17
0.25
0.34
0.69
1.14
2.28
4.4
0.14
0.17
0.25
0.38
0.72
1.28
2.45
4.93
0.15
0.2
0.28
0.44
0.81
1.52
3.07
6.07
0.15
0.21
0.34
0.56
1.05
2
4.17
8.08
0.2
0.3
0.48
0.78
1.53
3.04
6.05
12.29

Graph

Deep Data Set


Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64
D128
D256
D512
D1024

W1
W2
W4
W8
0.14
0.14
0.21
0.38
0.14
0.16
0.23
0.36
0.14
0.17
0.25
0.36
0.16
0.17
0.25
0.39
0.14
0.19
0.28
0.5
0.15
0.22
0.34
0.53
0.2
0.3
0.41
0.8
0.23
0.33
0.64
1.21
0.36
0.53
1.02
2
0.48
0.9
1.86
4.18
0.82
1.7
3.51
7.31

Graph

110516346.doc

Page 21 of 52

PVAN: Pivot, Analytic


Query Text
SELECT /* PVAN*/
'"' || emp_name || '","' || h || '","' || w || '","' || m || '","' || f || '363"'
FROM (
SELECT emp.first_name || ' ' || emp.last_name emp_name,
pho.phone_type,
pho.phone_number,
Row_Number() OVER (PARTITION BY emp.employee_id, pho.phone_type ORDER BY pho.valid_from
DESC, pho.phone_number) ind
FROM employees
emp
LEFT JOIN phone_numbers pho
ON pho.employee_id = emp.employee_id
)
PIVOT (MAX(phone_number) FOR phone_type IN ('HOME' AS h, 'WORK' AS w, 'MOBILE' AS m, 'FAX' AS f))
WHERE ind
= 1
ORDER BY 1

Query Diagram

Execution Plan Example (W128-D64)


Notice that the final cardinality estimate of 3,480,000 is a long way off the actual number, 13,696. The
CBO has clearly not allowed for pruning (or pivoting) affecting the cardinalities at all.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes |TempSpc| Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
| 51794 (100)|
|
110516346.doc

Page 22 of 52

|
1 | SORT ORDER BY
|
| 3480K|
169M|
| 51794
(1)| 00:10:22 |
|
2 |
HASH GROUP BY PIVOT
|
| 3480K|
169M|
| 51794
(1)| 00:10:22 |
|* 3 |
VIEW
|
| 3480K|
169M|
| 51510
(1)| 00:10:19 |
|* 4 |
WINDOW SORT PUSHED RANK|
| 3480K|
179M|
226M| 51510
(1)| 00:10:19 |
|* 5 |
HASH JOIN OUTER
|
| 3480K|
179M|
| 5348
(2)| 00:01:05 |
|
6 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| EMPLOYEES
| 13583 |
358K|
|
68
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|
7 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| PHONE_NUMBERS | 3509K|
90M|
| 5265
(1)| 00:01:04 |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Predicate Information (identified by operation id):
--------------------------------------------------3 - filter("from$_subquery$_001"."IND"=1)
4 - filter(ROW_NUMBER() OVER ( PARTITION BY "EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID","PHO"."PHONE_TYPE" ORDER
BY INTERNAL_FUNCTION("PHO"."VALID_FROM") DESC ,"PHO"."PHONE_NUMBER")<=1)
5 - access("PHO"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")

Results
Wide Data Set
Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64

W1
W2
W4
W8
W16
W32
W64
W128
0.15
0.15
0.19
0.32
0.56
1.08
2.07
3.9
0.11
0.16
0.22
0.35
0.62
1.17
2.29
4.28
0.13
0.14
0.21
0.39
0.69
1.31
2.53
4.98
0.14
0.17
0.28
0.44
0.86
1.67
3.26
6.52
0.15
0.2
0.33
0.64
1.26
2.44
4.92
9.41
0.19
0.3
0.55
1.04
2.08
4.13
7.71
15.79
0.29
0.47
0.97
1.9
3.84
6.88
13.67
29.13

Graph

Deep Data Set


Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64
D128
D256
D512
D1024

W1
W2
W4
W8
0.14
0.14
0.19
0.33
0.12
0.13
0.21
0.34
0.11
0.14
0.23
0.37
0.12
0.17
0.28
0.47
0.15
0.2
0.34
0.67
0.17
0.29
0.53
1
0.27
0.49
0.97
1.94
0.46
0.9
1.85
3.65
0.9
1.88
3.91
6.03
1.89
3.84
6.26
11.58
3.88
6.55
11.65
22.13

Graph
110516346.doc

Page 23 of 52

PVANIV: Pivot, Analytic, View


Query Text
WITH wit AS (
SELECT emp.first_name,
emp.last_name,
ilv.phone_type,
ilv.phone_number
FROM employees
emp
LEFT JOIN (
SELECT pho.employee_id,
pho.phone_type,
pho.phone_number,
Row_Number() OVER (PARTITION BY pho.employee_id, pho.phone_type ORDER BY pho.valid_from
DESC,pho.phone_number) ind
FROM phone_numbers pho
)
ilv
ON ilv.employee_id = emp.employee_id
WHERE ilv.ind
= 1
)
SELECT /* PVANIV*/
'"' || first_name || ' ' || last_name || '","' || h || '","' || w || '","' || m || '","' || f || '3212"'
FROM wit PIVOT (MAX(phone_number) FOR phone_type IN ('HOME' AS h, 'WORK' AS w, 'MOBILE' AS m, 'FAX' AS
f))
ORDER BY 1

Query Diagram

110516346.doc

Page 24 of 52

Execution Plan Example (W128-D64)


Notice that the final cardinality estimate is exactly right, although how the CBO gets there from id 3 to id 2
below is hard to understand.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes |TempSpc| Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
| 66739 (100)|
|
|
1 | SORT ORDER BY
|
| 13696 |
775K|
240M| 66739
(1)| 00:13:21 |
|
2 |
HASH GROUP BY PIVOT
|
| 13696 |
775K|
240M| 66739
(1)| 00:13:21 |
|* 3 |
HASH JOIN
|
| 3480K|
192M|
| 32009
(1)| 00:06:25 |
|
4 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| EMPLOYEES
| 13583 |
358K|
|
68
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 5 |
VIEW
|
| 3509K|
103M|
| 31925
(1)| 00:06:24 |
|* 6 |
WINDOW SORT PUSHED RANK|
| 3509K|
90M|
134M| 31925
(1)| 00:06:24 |
|
7 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| PHONE_NUMBERS | 3509K|
90M|
| 5265
(1)| 00:01:04 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Predicate Information (identified by operation id):
--------------------------------------------------3 - access("ILV"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
5 - filter("ILV"."IND"=1)
6 - filter(ROW_NUMBER() OVER ( PARTITION BY "PHO"."EMPLOYEE_ID","PHO"."PHONE_TYPE" ORDER
BY INTERNAL_FUNCTION("PHO"."VALID_FROM") DESC ,"PHO"."PHONE_NUMBER")<=1)

Results
Wide Data Set
Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64

W1
W2
W4
W8
W16
W32
W64
W128
0.11
0.12
0.21
0.33
0.61
1.06
2.02
3.81
0.11
0.15
0.23
0.39
0.61
1.12
2.04
4.17
0.11
0.16
0.22
0.39
0.67
1.23
2.35
4.7
0.13
0.19
0.28
0.45
0.78
1.49
2.86
5.91
0.14
0.19
0.33
0.62
1.12
2.19
4.11
8.19
0.21
0.26
0.45
0.91
1.82
3.56
6.96
13.03
0.23
0.46
0.78
1.63
3.2
6.8
10.69
22.97

Graph

Deep Data Set


Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
110516346.doc

W1
W2
W4
W8
0.11
0.14
0.19
0.33
0.11
0.14
0.22
0.36
0.11
0.15
0.21
0.36
0.14
0.16
0.25
0.42
0.12
0.18
0.31
0.54
0.18
0.26
0.46
0.78
Page 25 of 52

D64
D128
D256
D512
D1024

0.3
0.39
0.77
1.5
3.32

0.42
0.78
1.53
3.18
6.81

0.78
1.54
3.17
6.66
10.02

1.57
3.04
6.3
10.01
18.25

Graph

PVKP: Pivot, Keep


Query Text
SELECT /* PVKP*/
'"' || emp_name || '","' || h || '","' || w || '","' || m || '","' || f || '4895"'
FROM (
SELECT emp.first_name || ' ' || emp.last_name emp_name,
pho.phone_type,
MAX (pho.phone_number) KEEP (DENSE_RANK LAST ORDER BY pho.valid_from) phone_number_last
FROM employees emp
LEFT JOIN phone_numbers pho
ON pho.employee_id = emp.employee_id
GROUP BY emp.first_name || ' ' || emp.last_name, pho.phone_type
)
PIVOT (MAX(phone_number_last) FOR phone_type IN ('HOME' AS h, 'WORK' AS w, 'MOBILE' AS m, 'FAX' AS f))
ORDER BY 1

Query Diagram

110516346.doc

Page 26 of 52

Execution Plan Example (W128-D64)


Notice how poor the final cardinality estimate of 2,132,000 is, when the actual number would be the
number of employees (13,696). In this case, it was found later that changing the form of the Group By to
separate out the two name fields caused the cardinality estimate to improve to be about the correct
value at id 4, although the execution plan did not change (see Analysis section later).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes |TempSpc| Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
| 40121 (100)|
|
|
1 | SORT ORDER BY
|
| 2132K|
77M|
| 40121
(1)| 00:08:02 |
|
2 |
HASH GROUP BY PIVOT |
| 2132K|
77M|
| 40121
(1)| 00:08:02 |
|
3 |
VIEW
|
| 2132K|
77M|
| 39952
(1)| 00:08:00 |
|
4 |
SORT GROUP BY
|
| 2132K|
109M|
226M| 39952
(1)| 00:08:00 |
|* 5 |
HASH JOIN OUTER
|
| 3480K|
179M|
| 5348
(2)| 00:01:05 |
|
6 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL| EMPLOYEES
| 13583 |
358K|
|
68
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|
7 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL| PHONE_NUMBERS | 3509K|
90M|
| 5265
(1)| 00:01:04 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Predicate Information (identified by operation id):
--------------------------------------------------5 - access("PHO"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")

Results
Wide Data Set
Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64

W1
W2
W4
W8
W16
W32
W64
W128
0.14
0.17
0.2
0.31
0.58
0.98
2
3.84
0.14
0.15
0.22
0.32
0.61
1.04
2.14
4.16
0.12
0.14
0.22
0.35
0.63
1.17
2.4
4.74
0.09
0.15
0.24
0.4
0.7
1.44
2.83
5.66
0.14
0.17
0.3
0.5
1
1.87
3.8
7.84
0.14
0.21
0.41
0.71
1.34
2.8
5.76
12
0.2
0.33
0.54
1.11
2.24
4.77
9.56
20.19

Graph

Deep Data Set


Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
110516346.doc

W1
W2
W4
W8
0.12
0.14
0.19
0.38
0.13
0.12
0.2
0.32
0.12
0.14
0.25
0.38
0.12
0.15
0.22
0.39
0.14
0.19
0.3
0.49
0.14
0.24
0.37
0.68
Page 27 of 52

D64
D128
D256
D512
D1024

0.2
0.28
0.47
0.77
1.45

0.32
0.49
0.81
1.58
2.86

0.56
0.92
1.64
3.12
6.2

1.09
1.88
3.44
6.85
13.06

Graph

PVKPIV: Pivot, Keep, View


Query Text
SELECT
'"' ||
FROM
LEFT

/* PVKPIV*/
first_name || ' ' || last_name || '","' || h || '","' || w || '","' || m || '","' || f || '599"'
employees
emp
JOIN (
SELECT pho.employee_id,
pho.phone_type,
MAX (pho.phone_number) KEEP (DENSE_RANK LAST ORDER BY pho.valid_from) phone_number_last
FROM phone_numbers pho
GROUP BY pho.employee_id, pho.phone_type
)
ilv
ON ilv.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
PIVOT (MAX(phone_number_last) FOR phone_type IN ('HOME' AS h, 'WORK' AS w, 'MOBILE' AS m, 'FAX' AS f))
ORDER BY 1

Query Diagram

110516346.doc

Page 28 of 52

Execution Plan Example (W128-D64)


Notice that the final cardinality estimate is almost four times the actual number, while the intermediate
estimates from id 7 up to id 3 are about right. It seems that the CBO has not allowed for the pivoting
operation reducing cardinality.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes |TempSpc| Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
| 15867 (100)|
|
|
1 | SORT ORDER BY
|
| 38419 | 1688K| 2128K| 15867
(2)| 00:03:11 |
|
2 |
HASH GROUP BY PIVOT |
| 38419 | 1688K| 2128K| 15867
(2)| 00:03:11 |
|* 3 |
HASH JOIN OUTER
|
| 38419 | 1688K|
| 14988
(2)| 00:03:00 |
|
4 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL | EMPLOYEES
| 13583 |
358K|
|
68
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|
5 |
VIEW
|
| 38739 |
680K|
| 14919
(2)| 00:03:00 |
|
6 |
SORT GROUP BY
|
| 38739 | 1021K|
134M| 14919
(2)| 00:03:00 |
|
7 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL| PHONE_NUMBERS | 3509K|
90M|
| 5265
(1)| 00:01:04 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Predicate Information (identified by operation id):
--------------------------------------------------3 - access("ILV"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")

Results
Wide Data Set
Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64

W1
W2
W4
W8
W16
W32
W64
W128
0.13
0.16
0.21
0.35
0.57
1.01
1.95
3.83
0.14
0.16
0.22
0.33
0.6
1.03
2.01
3.97
0.11
0.15
0.21
0.35
0.62
1.07
2.14
4.23
0.14
0.17
0.23
0.37
0.65
1.21
2.42
4.79
0.13
0.19
0.27
0.49
0.76
1.43
2.87
5.86
0.1
0.17
0.35
0.6
1.01
1.97
3.94
7.79
0.16
0.24
0.4
0.73
1.47
3.14
5.97
11.99

Graph

Deep Data Set


Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64
110516346.doc

W1
W2
W4
W8
0.11
0.14
0.18
0.32
0.11
0.15
0.2
0.33
0.11
0.18
0.2
0.34
0.12
0.15
0.22
0.39
0.13
0.18
0.25
0.42
0.12
0.19
0.29
0.53
0.18
0.25
0.42
0.73
Page 29 of 52

D128
D256
D512
D1024

0.19
0.29
0.45
0.83

0.32
0.52
0.9
1.69

0.61
1.01
1.84
3.45

1.17
2.05
4.04
7.26

Graph

FNSC: Database Function


Query Text - Main
SELECT /* FNSC*/ '"' || emp.first_name
Query_Test_Set.Last_Phone_Number
Query_Test_Set.Last_Phone_Number
Query_Test_Set.Last_Phone_Number
Query_Test_Set.Last_Phone_Number
FROM employees emp
ORDER BY 1

|| ' ' || emp.last_name || '","' ||


(emp.employee_id, 'HOME') || '","'
(emp.employee_id, 'WORK') || '","' ||
(emp.employee_id, 'MOBILE') || '","' ||
(emp.employee_id, 'FAX') || '4324"'

Query Text - Function


SELECT /* FUNCTIONSQ */
phone_number
FROM (
SELECT pho.phone_number
FROM phone_numbers
pho
WHERE pho.phone_type
= p_phone_type
AND pho.employee_id
= p_employee_id
ORDER BY pho.valid_from DESC)
WHERE ROWNUM = 1

110516346.doc

Page 30 of 52

Query/Function Diagram

Execution Plan Example - Main


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes |TempSpc| Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
|
175 (100)|
|
|
1 | SORT ORDER BY
|
| 13583 |
358K|
544K|
175
(2)| 00:00:03 |
|
2 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL| EMPLOYEES | 13583 |
358K|
|
68
(0)| 00:00:01 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Execution Plan Example Function


It was not possible to obtain the execution plan for the function from the v$ tables, for some reason, so we
did an Explain Plan on the query with typical bind values.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes | Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
12 (100)|
|
|* 1 | COUNT STOPKEY
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
VIEW
|
|
2 |
12 |
12
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|* 3 |
TABLE ACCESS BY INDEX ROWID | PHONE_NUMBERS
| 1029 | 27783 |
12
(0)| 00:00:01 |
110516346.doc

Page 31 of 52

|* 4 |
INDEX RANGE SCAN DESCENDING| PHONE_NUMBERS_N1 |
8 |
|
3
(0)| 00:00:01 |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Predicate Information (identified by operation id):
--------------------------------------------------1 - filter(ROWNUM=1)
3 - filter("PHO"."PHONE_TYPE"=:B2)
4 - access("PHO"."EMPLOYEE_ID"=:B1)

Results
Wide Data Set
Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64

W1
W2
W4
W8
W16
W32
W64
W128
0.35
0.56
0.87
1.49
2.85
5.6
12.02
21.98
0.36
0.64
0.83
1.53
2.9
5.52
11.87
22.13
0.41
0.89
0.86
1.61
2.82
5.61
11.57
22.75
0.46
0.45
0.9
1.51
2.87
5.77
11.7
22.68
0.28
0.44
0.9
1.56
2.9
5.78
11.45
22.9
0.28
0.45
0.87
1.52
3.03
5.72
11.44
23.59
0.31
0.5
0.78
1.53
3.04
5.88
11.72
28.61

Graph

Deep Data Set


Table of CPU Times

Query
D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64
D128
D256
D512
D1024

W1
0.3
0.34
0.38
0.47
0.28
0.27
0.25
0.25
0.25
0.26
0.28

W2
W4
W8
0.58
0.81
1.44
0.58
0.77
1.48
0.78
0.84
1.46
0.44
0.83
1.45
0.47
0.83
1.46
0.48
0.78
1.47
0.44
0.84
1.48
0.42
0.78
1.45
0.43
0.76
1.47
0.42
0.81
1.74
0.43
0.78
2.11

Graph

110516346.doc

Page 32 of 52

SSKP: Select Scalar Subquery, Keep


This query was added after analysis of the main results, and only run for a single data set point, W1D1024.
Query Text
SELECT /* SSKP*/ '"' || emp.first_name || ' ' || emp.last_name
(SELECT MAX (phone_number) KEEP (DENSE_RANK LAST ORDER
FROM phone_numbers
WHERE phone_type
= 'HOME'
AND employee_id
= emp.employee_id
) || '","' ||
(SELECT MAX (phone_number) KEEP (DENSE_RANK LAST ORDER
FROM phone_numbers
WHERE phone_type
= 'WORK'
AND employee_id
= emp.employee_id
) || '","' ||
(SELECT MAX (phone_number) KEEP (DENSE_RANK LAST ORDER
FROM phone_numbers
WHERE phone_type
= 'MOBILE'
AND employee_id
= emp.employee_id
) || '","' ||
(SELECT MAX (phone_number) KEEP (DENSE_RANK LAST ORDER
FROM phone_numbers
WHERE phone_type
= 'FAX'
AND employee_id
= emp.employee_id
) ||'133"'
FROM employees emp
ORDER BY 1

110516346.doc

|| '","' ||
BY valid_from)

BY valid_from)

BY valid_from)

BY valid_from)

Page 33 of 52

Query Diagram

Execution Plan Example (W1-D1024)


Notice that the cardinalities look about right here, and the plan is the same as for SSSM.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes | Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
69 (100)|
|
|
1 | SORT AGGREGATE
|
|
1 |
26 |
|
|
|* 2 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| PHONE_NUMBERS | 1028 | 26728 |
619
(1)| 00:00:08 |
|
3 |
SORT AGGREGATE
|
|
1 |
26 |
|
|
|* 4 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| PHONE_NUMBERS | 1023 | 26598 |
619
(1)| 00:00:08 |
|
5 |
SORT AGGREGATE
|
|
1 |
26 |
|
|
|* 6 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL | PHONE_NUMBERS | 1037 | 26962 |
619
(1)| 00:00:08 |
|
7 |
SORT AGGREGATE
|
|
1 |
26 |
|
|
|* 8 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL| PHONE_NUMBERS | 1028 | 26728 |
619
(1)| 00:00:08 |
|
9 | SORT ORDER BY
|
|
107 | 2033 |
69
(2)| 00:00:01 |
| 10 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| EMPLOYEES
|
107 | 2033 |
68
(0)| 00:00:01 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Results
The query ran in 44 seconds CPU time. Compare with FNSC, which took 0.3 seconds for this data set
point.

SSSM: Select Scalar Subquery, Max


This query was added after analysis of the main results, and only run for a single data set point, W1D1024.
Query Text
SELECT /* SSKP*/ '"' || emp.first_name || ' ' || emp.last_name || '","' ||
(SELECT Substr (Max (To_Char (valid_from,'j') || phone_number), 8)
FROM phone_numbers
WHERE phone_type
= 'HOME'
AND employee_id
= emp.employee_id
) || '","' ||
(SELECT Substr (Max (To_Char (valid_from,'j') || phone_number), 8)
FROM phone_numbers
WHERE phone_type
= 'WORK'
AND employee_id
= emp.employee_id
) || '","' ||
(SELECT MAX Substr (Max (To_Char (valid_from,'j') || phone_number), 8)
FROM phone_numbers
WHERE phone_type
= 'MOBILE'
AND employee_id
= emp.employee_id
) || '","' ||
(SELECT Substr (Max (To_Char (valid_from,'j') || phone_number), 8)
FROM phone_numbers
WHERE phone_type
= 'FAX'
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Page 34 of 52

AND employee_id
) ||'133"'
FROM employees emp
ORDER BY 1

= emp.employee_id

Query Diagram

Execution Plan Example (W1-D1024)


Notice that the cardinalities look about right here, and the plan is the same as for SSKP.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes | Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
69 (100)|
|
|
1 | SORT AGGREGATE
|
|
1 |
25 |
|
|
|* 2 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| PHONE_NUMBERS | 1028 | 25700 |
619
(1)| 00:00:08 |
|
3 |
SORT AGGREGATE
|
|
1 |
25 |
|
|
|* 4 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| PHONE_NUMBERS | 1023 | 25575 |
619
(1)| 00:00:08 |
|
5 |
SORT AGGREGATE
|
|
1 |
25 |
|
|
|* 6 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL | PHONE_NUMBERS | 1037 | 25925 |
619
(1)| 00:00:08 |
|
7 |
SORT AGGREGATE
|
|
1 |
25 |
|
|
|* 8 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL| PHONE_NUMBERS | 1028 | 25700 |
619
(1)| 00:00:08 |
|
9 | SORT ORDER BY
|
|
107 | 2033 |
69
(2)| 00:00:01 |
| 10 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL
| EMPLOYEES
|
107 | 2033 |
68
(0)| 00:00:01 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Results
The query ran in 46 seconds CPU time. Compare with FNSC, which took 0.3 seconds for this data set
point (but 0.7s in the last run in Test_Phone_1-11.LST).

SSOB: Select Scalar Subquery, Order By


This query was added after analysis of the main results, and is not valid in Oracle SQL due to a technical
limitation whereby an alias can only be referenced at one level down within a scalar subquery. It is of
interest here, because had it been valid it would probably be the most efficient method for narrow deep
cases, from consideration of FNSC.
Query Text
SELECT /* SSOB*/ '"' || emp.first_name || ' ' || emp.last_name || '","' ||
(SELECT pho.phone_number
FROM
(SELECT pho.phone_number
FROM phone_numbers
pho
WHERE pho.phone_type
= 'HOME'
AND pho.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
ORDER BY pho.valid_from DESC)
WHERE ROWNUM = 1
) || '","' ||
(SELECT pho.phone_number
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Page 35 of 52

FROM
(SELECT pho.phone_number
FROM phone_numbers
pho
WHERE pho.phone_type
= 'WORK'
AND pho.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
ORDER BY pho.valid_from DESC)
WHERE ROWNUM = 1
) || '","' ||
(SELECT pho.phone_number
FROM
(SELECT pho.phone_number
FROM phone_numbers
pho
WHERE pho.phone_type
= 'MOBILE'
AND pho.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
ORDER BY pho.valid_from DESC)
WHERE ROWNUM = 1
) || '","' ||
(SELECT pho.phone_number
FROM
(SELECT pho.phone_number
FROM phone_numbers
pho
WHERE pho.phone_type
= 'FAX'
AND pho.employee_id
= emp.employee_id
ORDER BY pho.valid_from DESC)
WHERE ROWNUM = 1
) ||'999"'
FROM employees
emp
ORDER BY 1

Query Diagram

Results
The query fails with error:
ORA-00904: "EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID": invalid identifier

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Page 36 of 52

Analysis of Results
Slice Analysis
We would like to like to compare the performances of the queries graphically, but as it would be difficult to
do this using the 3-dimensional graphs above, we will instead consider the four slices obtained by fixing
one of the width and depth dimensions at its minimum and maximum with the other displayed across its
range. For each slice and data set the CPU times are tabulated across all queries and a line graph is
given, then the relative performances are assessed in an analysis subsection.
Narrow Slice
Wide Data Set
Table of CPU Times

Query
FNSC
PVAN
PVANIV
PVKP
PVKPIV
WJAN
WJKP
WJSQ
JNSQ

D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64
0.35
0.36
0.41
0.46
0.28
0.28
0.31
0.15
0.11
0.13
0.14
0.15
0.19
0.29
0.11
0.11
0.11
0.13
0.14
0.21
0.23
0.14
0.14
0.12
0.09
0.14
0.14
0.2
0.13
0.14
0.11
0.14
0.13
0.1
0.16
0.14
0.14
0.14
0.14
0.16
0.17
0.34
0.15
0.15
0.14
0.14
0.15
0.15
0.2
0.13
0.14
0.15
0.16
0.16
0.22
0.3
1.35
1.29
1.51
1.89
2.95
5.98
14.59

Graph of CPU Times, excluding JNSQ

Deep Data Set


Table of CPU Times
Query
D1
FNSC
PVAN
PVANIV
PVKP
PVKPIV
WJAN
110516346.doc

0.3
0.1
4
0.1
1
0.1
2
0.1
1
0.1

D2

0.3
4
0.1
2
0.1
1
0.1
3
0.1
1
0.1

D4

0.3
8
0.1
1
0.1
1
0.1
2
0.1
1
0.1

D8

0.4
7
0.1
2
0.1
4
0.1
2
0.1
2
0.1

D16

0.2
8
0.1
5
0.1
2
0.1
4
0.1
3
0.1

D32

0.2
7
0.1
7
0.1
8
0.1
4
0.1
2
0.1

D64

0.2
5
0.2
7

D128

D256

D512

D1024

0.25

0.25

0.26

0.28

0.46

0.9

1.89

3.88

0.3

0.39

0.77

1.5

3.32

0.2
0.1
8
0.2

0.28

0.47

0.77

1.45

0.19
0.42

0.29
0.8

0.45
1.56

0.83
3.36

Page 37 of 52

5
0.1
4
0.1
9

WJKP

WJSQ
Graph of CPU Times

4
0.1
4
0.1
9

4
0.1
4
0.1
4

4
0.1
6
0.1
5

7
0.1
4
0.1
7

8
0.1
5
0.2
2

4
0.2
0.2
8

0.23

0.36

0.48

0.82

0.44

0.62

1.11

1.43

Analysis
Wide Data Set
This is a subset of the deep data set for the narrow slice (other than having wider date range), but was the
only set that JNSQ was tested on (to save time).

JNSQ took 91 x best time at the maximum depth

Deep Data Set

FNSC is worst up to depth of 32 but best from 256, taking 34% of the next best time at maximum
depth

FNSC shows essentially constant time; this is presumably because the main query scans the
unchanging employees table, while the function query uses the index and is coded to stop after
the first row and so may be able to obtain the rowid in the same small number of reads.

PVPKIV and WJKP show similar performance as next best at 2.9 x best

PVKP and WJSQ show similar performance as next best at 5.1 x best

PVANIV AND WJAN show similar performance as next best at 11.9 x best, with PVAN just behind
at 13.9

Wide Slice
Wide Data Set W128
Table of CPU Times

Query
FNSC
PVAN
PVANIV
PVKP
PVKPIV
WJAN
WJKP
WJSQ
JNSQ

D1
D2
D4
D8
D16
D32
D64
21.98
22.13
22.75
22.68
22.9
23.59
28.61
3.9
4.28
4.98
6.52
9.41
15.79
29.13
3.81
4.17
4.7
5.91
8.19
13.03
22.97
3.84
4.16
4.74
5.66
7.84
12
20.19
3.83
3.97
4.23
4.79
5.86
7.79
11.99
4.31
4.39
4.97
6.19
8.72
12.49
21.31
4.16
4.04
4.4
4.93
6.07
8.08
12.29
4.44
4.62
5.05
6.14
8.7
13.22
22.62
13.53
34.59
67.66 298.62 324.23

Graph of CPU Times, excluding JNSQ


110516346.doc

Page 38 of 52

Deep Data Set W8


Table of CPU Times
Query
D1
FNSC
PVAN
PVANIV
PVKP
PVKPIV
WJAN
WJKP

1.4
4
0.3
3
0.3
3
0.3
8
0.3
2
0.3
2
0.3
8
0.3
8

WJSQ
Graph of CPU Times

D2

1.4
8
0.3
4
0.3
6
0.3
2
0.3
3
0.3
9
0.3
6
0.4
1

D4

1.4
6
0.3
7
0.3
6
0.3
8
0.3
4
0.4
2
0.3
6
0.4
2

D8

1.4
5
0.4
7
0.4
2
0.3
9
0.3
9
0.4
4
0.3
9
0.4
8

D16

1.4
6
0.6
7
0.5
4
0.4
9
0.4
2
0.6
1
0.5
0.6
1

D32

1.4
7
1
0.7
8
0.6
8
0.5
3
0.8
9
0.5
3
0.8
8

D64

1.4
8
1.9
4
1.5
7
1.0
9
0.7
3
1.5
8
0.8
1.4
2

D128

D256

D512

D1024

1.45

1.47

3.65

6.03

3.04

6.3

1.74
11.5
8
10.0
1

1.88

3.44

6.85

2.11
22.1
3
18.2
5
13.0
6

1.17

2.05

4.04

7.26

3.09

6.44

9.89

19.2

1.21

4.18

2.5

4.59

9.54

7.31
12.5
9

Analysis
Wide Data Set
110516346.doc

Page 39 of 52

This is a subset of the deep data set for the wide slice (other than having wider date range), but was the
only set that JNSQ was tested on (to save time).

JNSQ took 55 x best time at the maximum depth it was run at (D16)

Deep Data Set

FNSC is worst up to depth of 32 but best from 256, taking 29% of the next best time at maximum
depth

FNSC shows essentially constant time for the first 9 depths; this is presumably because the main
query scans the unchanging employees table, while the function query uses the index and is
coded to stop after the first row and so may be able to obtain the rowid in the same small number
of reads. The last two depths show increases of 18% and a further 21%; possibly the greater
sizes of the index have increased the index depth and hence the numbers of blocks read, but I
have not verified this.

PVPKIV and WJKP show similar performance as next best at 3.5 x best at maximum depth

PVKP and WJSQ show similar performance as next best at 6.2 x best

PVANIV AND WJAN show similar performance as next best at 8.9 x best, with PVAN just behind
at 10.5

Apart from FNSC, the relative performances remain largely similar after divergence appears from
about D8

Shallow Slice
Wide Data Set
Table of CPU Times

Query
FNSC
PVAN
PVANIV
PVKP
PVKPIV
WJAN
WJKP
WJSQ
JNSQ

W1
W2
W4
W8
W16
W32
W64
W128
0.35
0.56
0.87
1.49
2.85
5.6
12.02
21.98
0.15
0.15
0.19
0.32
0.56
1.08
2.07
3.9
0.11
0.12
0.21
0.33
0.61
1.06
2.02
3.81
0.14
0.17
0.2
0.31
0.58
0.98
2
3.84
0.13
0.16
0.21
0.35
0.57
1.01
1.95
3.83
0.14
0.14
0.24
0.34
0.64
1.06
2.11
4.31
0.15
0.18
0.23
0.36
0.62
1.09
2.07
4.16
0.13
0.22
0.24
0.37
0.67
1.17
2.16
4.44
1.35
1.73
2
2.15
2.34
4.01
7.3
13.53

Graph of CPU Times

Deep Data Set


Table of CPU Times

Query
FNSC
110516346.doc

W1

W2
W4
W8
0.3
0.58
0.81
1.44
Page 40 of 52

PVAN
PVANIV
PVKP
PVKPIV
WJAN
WJKP
WJSQ

0.14
0.11
0.12
0.11
0.15
0.14
0.19

0.14
0.14
0.14
0.14
0.2
0.14
0.21

0.19
0.19
0.19
0.18
0.27
0.21
0.23

0.33
0.33
0.38
0.32
0.32
0.38
0.38

Graph of CPU Times

Analysis
Wide Data Set

JNSQ is worst up to depth of 8, then second worst to FNSC, with JNSQ and FNSC taking 3.6 and
5.8 times the best time at maximum width

For the rest, performances divide into two groups:


o

PVAN, PVANIV, PVKP and PVPKIV are best, taking about 90% of the times of the next
group at maximum width

WJAN, WJKP and WJSQ take about 1.1 x the times of the best group

Deep Data Set


This is a subset of the wide data set for the shallow slice.
Deep Slice
Wide Data Set D64
Table of CPU Times

Query
FNSC
PVAN
PVANIV
PVKP
PVKPIV
WJAN
WJKP
WJSQ
JNSQ

W1
W2
W4
W8
W16
W32
W64
W128
0.31
0.5
0.78
1.53
3.04
5.88
11.72
28.61
0.29
0.47
0.97
1.9
3.84
6.88
13.67
29.13
0.23
0.46
0.78
1.63
3.2
6.8
10.69
22.97
0.2
0.33
0.54
1.11
2.24
4.77
9.56
20.19
0.16
0.24
0.4
0.73
1.47
3.14
5.97
11.99
0.34
0.45
0.85
1.65
3.41
6.71
10.42
21.31
0.2
0.3
0.48
0.78
1.53
3.04
6.05
12.29
0.3
0.42
0.79
1.42
2.73
5.7
11.6
22.62
14.59
59.48 159.65
292.08

Graph of CPU Times, excluding JNSQ

110516346.doc

Page 41 of 52

Deep Data Set D1024


Table of CPU Times

Query
FNSC
PVAN
PVANIV
PVKP
PVKPIV
WJAN
WJKP
WJSQ

W1
W2
W4
W8
0.28
0.43
0.78
2.11
3.88
6.55
11.65
22.13
3.32
6.81
10.02
18.25
1.45
2.86
6.2
13.06
0.83
1.69
3.45
7.26
3.36
6.94
9.86
19.2
0.82
1.7
3.51
7.31
1.43
2.76
5.74
12.59

Graph of CPU Times

Analysis
Wide Data Set

110516346.doc

JNSQ is worst in all cases where it was run, having 96 times the best time at the maximum width
it was run at (W32)

For the rest, performances divide into three groups:


o

PVPKIV and WJKP are best, taking about 57% of the times of the next group at
maximum width

PVANIV, PVKP, WJAN, and WJSQ take about 1.8 x the times of the best group

FNSC and PVAN take about 2.4 x the times of the best group
Page 42 of 52

Deep Data Set


This is a subset of the wide data set for the shallow slice.

Summary Analysis
In this section, the relative rankings and performance factors are tabulated across the query sets and
slices for both data sets.
Tables and Graphs of Relative Performance
Table of Rankings

DataSet
>
Slice ->
End ->
FNSC
PVAN
PVANIV
PVKP
PVKPIV
WJAN
WJKP
WJSQ
JNSQ

Deep

Wide
Shallow
Narro
Wide
w
8
9
6
1
1
1
4
1
2
1
4
5
6
5
2
6
9
8

Deep
Narro
Wide
w
6
7
5
7
4
5
2
3
1
1
8
4
2
1
6
5
9
9

Narrow
Shallo
Deep
w
8
1
4
8
1
6
3
4
1
2
6
6
4
2
7
4
NA
NA

Wide
Shallo
Deep
w
8
1
1
8
1
6
5
4
1
2
1
6
5
2
5
4
NA
NA

Table of CPU Time Factors Relative to Best

DataSet
>
Slice ->
End ->
FNSC
PVAN
PVANIV
PVKP
PVKPIV
WJAN
WJKP
WJSQ
JNSQ

Deep

Wide
Shallow
Narro
Wide
w
3.2
5.8
1.4
1
1
1
1.3
1
1.2
1
1.3
1.1
1.4
1.1
1.2
1.2
12.3
3.6

Deep
Narro
Wide
w
1.9
2.4
1.8
2.4
1.4
1.9
1.3
1.7
1
1
2.1
1.8
1.3
1
1.9
1.9
91.2
0

Narrow
Shallo
Deep
w
2.7
1
1.3
13.9
1
11.9
1.1
5.2
1
3
1.4
12
1.3
2.9
1.7
5.1
NA
NA

Wide
Shallo
Deep
w
4.5
1
1
10.5
1
8.6
1.2
6.2
1
3.4
1
9.1
1.2
3.5
1.2
6
NA
NA

Graph of CPU Time Factors Relative to Best Start (JNSQ excluded)

Graph of CPU Time Factors Relative to Best End (JNSQ excluded)


110516346.doc

Page 43 of 52

Which Query is Best?


PVKPIV is best on 5 of the 8 data set points considered in the summary analysis above, and is
significantly worse than only one other query, FNSC, on the two deepest data set points, where it is about
equal second with WJKP. A couple of further points may be noted:

It is not surprising that the query performing best overall (PVKPIV) uses Oracles native syntax for
both pivoting and pruning, being better in particular than those pruning by use of the more general
technique of analytic functions. It is very surprising though that the inline view modifier is needed
to obtain the best performance, as is the result that using a database function outperforms all
others in some scenarios. These points are discussed in the next section.

WJKP shows a very similar performance profile to PVKPIV, but slightly worse; it seems that the
execution plans, although superficially different, may amount to much the same but with the
overhead of writing to the temporary table likely explaining the differences.

Cost Based Optimizer


The results throw light on the performance of the CBO. In this section we consider what they imply for
query construction in general, as well as for our test scenarios. It should be noted that our results are for a
single class of queries, and it may be that the CBO happens to be particularly well or badly suited to that
class compared with other classes.
CBO Cardinalities
In order for the CBO to compare candidate execution plans effectively, it is of course very important that
its cardinality estimates be reasonably good. However, it can be seen from the sections on query
execution plans above that the accuracy of the cardinality estimates is frequently very poor: It seems, in
some cases, to have trouble with both the pivoting and pruning operations. For example, with PVKPIV it
gets the pruning side right, but not the pivoting. It is worth noting that the use of the inline view seems to
help it get its estimates right. For example, with PVAN, it does not reduce cardinalities at all for either
operation, while with PVANIV it does much better.
The PVKP query revealed an interesting CBO problem with the Group By clause. In the query as shown,
the Group By for the main view merely copies the grouping fields from the select list, as is usual:

GROUP BY emp.first_name || ' ' || emp.last_name, pho.phone_type

By experiment, I found that replacing the employee names expression with its components led to the CBO
obtaining an accurate estimate.

GROUP BY emp.first_name, emp.last_name, pho.phone_type

Note that the two forms are equivalent, as Oracle clearly knows at the syntax-checking level, or it would
raise the error: ORA-00979: not a GROUP BY expression
The two forms were tested on the W1-D1024 data set point, along with PVKPIV (see Test_Phone_111_3.LST for full listing), and the two explain plans were:
110516346.doc

Page 44 of 52

Original
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes |TempSpc| Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
| 2573 (100)|
|
|
1 | SORT ORDER BY
|
| 18565 |
688K|
| 2573
(2)| 00:00:31 |
|
2 |
HASH GROUP BY PIVOT |
| 18565 |
688K|
| 2573
(2)| 00:00:31 |
|
3 |
VIEW
|
| 18565 |
688K|
| 2570
(1)| 00:00:31 |
|
4 |
SORT GROUP BY
|
| 18565 |
815K|
24M| 2570
(1)| 00:00:31 |
|* 5 |
HASH JOIN OUTER
|
|
433K|
18M|
|
690
(2)| 00:00:09 |
|
6 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL| EMPLOYEES
|
107 | 2033 |
|
68
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|
7 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL| PHONE_NUMBERS |
433K|
10M|
|
619
(1)| 00:00:08 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Predicate Information (identified by operation id):
--------------------------------------------------5 - access("PHO"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")

Modified
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes | Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
708 (100)|
|
|
1 | SORT ORDER BY
|
|
303 | 11514 |
708
(4)| 00:00:09 |
|
2 |
HASH GROUP BY PIVOT |
|
303 | 11514 |
708
(4)| 00:00:09 |
|
3 |
VIEW
|
|
303 | 11514 |
706
(4)| 00:00:09 |
|
4 |
SORT GROUP BY
|
|
303 | 13635 |
706
(4)| 00:00:09 |
|* 5 |
HASH JOIN OUTER
|
|
433K|
18M|
690
(2)| 00:00:09 |
|
6 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL| EMPLOYEES
|
107 | 2033 |
68
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|
7 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL| PHONE_NUMBERS |
433K|
10M|
619
(1)| 00:00:08 |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Predicate Information (identified by operation id):
--------------------------------------------------5 - access("PHO"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")

The timings were:


PVKP (original)

1.43

PVKPG (modified)

1.31

PVKPIV

.84

Although the plans appear the same, the modified query appeared to be consistently slightly faster (Is the
plan output hiding some differences under the covers? Incidentally, if the reader has not yet read Under
the Net, the first, maybe best, book by the late English writer Iris Murdoch, its highly recommended). The
change thus made little difference here, but in another query it might.
Inline View Modifier
Using an inline view to enclose the pruning operation is always at least as good as not, and up to 21%
faster for the analytics strategy, and 59% faster for the keep strategy. The view guides the CBO to reduce
the number of records being processed before joining them to the master records. This is extremely
surprising because one would expect the CBO to work this out for itself, especially on our deliberately
simple queries.
Subquery Factoring Modifier
Applying the subquery factor modifier proved extremely effective for the join subquery strategy, both in
performance and in allowing outer joining.
It is interesting to note from the detailed timings in the output files (SQL Pivot and Prune Queries Output)
that, while Oracle normally defers execution of a query until the first fetch shows its needed, in all cases
with a subquery factor execution occurs straight away on cursor opening.
Performance of JNSQ
One of the benefits of testing the queries across a 2 dimensional domain is that one can compare
performances across data set points, and one sees immediately that the CBO has performed very poorly
on some of these for JNSQ. In one case, doubling the number of master records reduced the CPU time by
a factor of 7!

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Page 45 of 52

Performance of Database Function and Scalar Subquery Strategies


Using database functions within queries, while quite common, is often regarded as bad practice both for
performance and theoretical reasons, and usually correctly. The supposed modularity gains can generally
be better obtained through other means, including high level design (can complex SQL be placed in a
(possibly transactional) API rather than duplicated?) and, sometimes, views.
In our case, however, we found that the best performance obtained on narrow, deep cases was through a
database function. This was because only by this means was the relevant index used to exclude almost all
the detail records straight away; generally, the other strategies continued to favour full table scans. We
tried to replicate this performance advantage through scalar subqueries, but the ones that were valid again
neglected the obvious indexing strategy. This seems to be a case of CBO imperfection the queries are
very simple, bypassing any question of combinatorial complexity, the data distribution is random, not
skewed, and statistics were gathered. It ought to have been possible for the CBO to obtain the best
strategy by itself from the native syntax query (PVKP) telling it what was required, not how to do it. This
type of query may be an area where the CBO is underdeveloped.
General Conclusions
Oracles concepts manual (REF-2) says:
In contrast to procedural languages such as C, which describe how things should be done, SQL is
nonprocedural and describes what should be done
This is true for basic classes of SQL, but is not always true for more complex classes. In many cases it is
necessary to use inline views together with analytic, and other, functions to build a structured query in
essentially a procedural manner, in order to obtain a desired result. The ability to combine non-procedural
components in this way to build very powerful queries is of course a big strength of SQL (and is why I
place a high value on diagrammatic design techniques for SQL, here and in A Structured Approach to
SQL Query Design).
In our relatively simple queries, we have found that using modifiers such as inline views and subquery
factoring to tell the CBO how (at a high level) to process the queries, while not strictly necessary, is often
beneficial to performance. This perhaps surprising finding shows that keeping an eye on performance is
still important for queries in Oracle 11g.

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Page 46 of 52

Query Testing Program


This section gives design information about the testing program. The modular design allows the generic
package (Test Queries in the diagram below) and the specification of the Query Test Set package to be
used for any set of queries provided in the body of Query Test Set. See REF-3 for the Oracle packages
referenced.

Call Structure Diagram

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Page 47 of 52

Data Flow Diagram

Table Structures
Generic Tables
RUN_CONTROL
Column Name
id*
description
status
message
point_wide_max
point_deep_max
cpu_time
elapsed_time
creation_date

Type
Number
Char(500)
Char(1)
Char(4000)
Number
Number
Number
Number
Date

Notes
Sequence generated primary key
Description of run
S success, F - failure
Error message if any
Maximum width point
Maximum depth point
Total CPU time
Total elapsed time
Creation date

Type
Number
Char(60)
Number
Number
Number
Number
Date
Char(1)
Char(4000)

Notes
Foreign key to RUN_CONTROL table
Query code
Width point
Depth point
CPU time
Elapsed time
Creation date
S success, F - failure
Error message if any

RUN_STATISTICS
Column Name
run_control_id*
run_type*
point_wide*
point_deep*
cpu_time
elapsed_time
creation_date
status
message
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Page 48 of 52

OUTPUT_LOG
Column Name
line_ind
line_text
id
creation_date

Type
Integer
Char(4000)
Char(30)
Date

Notes
Line number
Line text
Identifier code
Creation date

Specific Tables for our HR Queries


EMPLOYEES
This is the Oracle HR demo table, with 107 seeded records that we copy with name changes.
Column Name
employee_id*
first_name
last_name
email

Type
Number
Char(20)
Char(25)

phone_number
hire_date
job_id
salary
commission_pct
manager_id
department_id

Number
Date
Number
Number
Number
Number
Number

Char(20)

Notes
Sequence generated primary key
First name copy number appended when copying
Last name
Email address copy number appended when copying for
uniqueness, but not referenced in queries

Populated as seeded but not referenced in queries

Index EMP_EMP_ID_PK

employee_id

Indexes (various, not used, see Oracles HR demo schema)


PHONE_NUMBERS
This is a new table in the HR schema that stores phone numbers by employee and type in records, as in
Oracle Applications modules, including the CRM modules.
Column Name
id*
employee_id
phone_type
valid_from
valid_to
phone_number

Type
Number
Number
Char(10)
Date
Date
Char(9)

Notes
Sequence generated primary key
Foreign key to EMPLOYEES
Phone number type (HOME, WORK, MOBILE, FAX)
Valid from date (set randomly within a range)
Valid to date (not set)
Phone number (set randomly within a range)

Index PHONE_NUMBERS_N1

employee_id

valid_from

Index PHONE_NUMBERS_N2

employee_id

To_Char (valid_from, 'J')

The idea here is to ensure that the queries have reasonable indexes to use if the CBO deems it advisable,
but to avoid including all fields in an index, for the purpose of this testing. The function-based index is
included to provide a usable index for the subquery strategies.

Program Logic

110516346.doc

Write header record (RUN_CONTROL table)

Get data set dimensions from Query_Test_Set package

Loop over width points


Page 49 of 52

Loop over depth points

Setup test data, and gather CBO statistics, using Query_Test_Set package

Call interface

Open output file

Get query string, using Query_Test_Set package

Loop over cursor for query


o

Write line to file

End loop

Write execution plan to log, using Utils.Write_Plan (OUTPUT_LOG table)

Write statistics record (RUN_STATISTICS table)

Close output file

End Call interface

End loop

End loop

Update header record (RUN_CONTROL table)

Example Output
The output is included in SQL Pivot and Prune Queries Output. Here is an extract, with indentation
removed, and the first 100 characters shown thereafter per line (the version of code included also writes
the number of lines written, but that was added after the example below was run):
Setup data: 7-1024 Phone numbers truncated
3424 numbers added, (iteration 1 of 1024)
.
.
.
3424 numbers added, (iteration 1024 of 1024)
3506176 numbers added in total
4096 numbers deleted for emp 121
1024 numbers deleted for emp 196, type FAX
79014 duplicate dates
527835 duplicate numbers
856 total employees
3501056 total numbers
Timings
Elapsed (CPU)
Delete/Add employees
0.00 (0.00)
Add numbers
5,166.15 (637.35)
Gather stats
55.51 (20.32)
Count duplicate dates
20.94 (12.53)
Count duplicate numbers
9.94 (6.27)
Count totals
4.46 (0.98)
Total times:
5,257.00 (677.45)
(Other):
0.00 (0.00)
PVKP
SELECT /* PVKP*/ '"' || emp_name || '","' || h || '","' || w || '","' || m || '","' || f || '8943"'
ame emp_name, pho.phone_type, Max (pho.phone_number) KEEP (DENSE_RANK LAST ORDER BY pho.valid_from)
ne_numbers pho ON pho.employee_id = emp.employee_id GROUP BY emp.first_name || ' ' || emp.last_name,
R phone_type IN ('HOME' AS h, 'WORK' AS w, 'MOBILE' AS m, 'FAX' AS f)) ORDER BY 1
SQL_ID 9xt2by4jcdg1x, child number 0
------------------------------------SELECT /* PVKP*/ '"' || emp_name || '","' || h || '","' || w || '","'
|| m || '","' || f || '8943"' FROM ( SELECT emp.first_name || ' ' ||
emp.last_name emp_name, pho.phone_type, Max (pho.phone_number) KEEP
(DENSE_RANK LAST ORDER BY pho.valid_from) phone_number_last FROM
employees emp LEFT JOIN phone_numbers pho ON pho.employee_id =
emp.employee_id GROUP BY emp.first_name || ' ' || emp.last_name,
pho.phone_type ) PIVOT (Max(phone_number_last) FOR phone_type IN
('HOME' AS h, 'WORK' AS w, 'MOBILE' AS m, 'FAX' AS f)) ORDER BY 1
Plan hash value: 3462645326
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Id | Operation
| Name
| Rows | Bytes |TempSpc| Cost (%CPU)| Time
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
0 | SELECT STATEMENT
|
|
|
|
| 22768 (100)|
|
110516346.doc

Page 50 of 52

|
1 | SORT ORDER BY
|
|
148K| 5511K|
| 22768
(1)| 00:04:34 |
|
2 |
HASH GROUP BY PIVOT |
|
148K| 5511K|
| 22768
(1)| 00:04:34 |
|
3 |
VIEW
|
|
148K| 5511K|
| 22757
(1)| 00:04:34 |
|
4 |
SORT GROUP BY
|
|
148K| 7686K|
227M| 22757
(1)| 00:04:34 |
|* 5 |
HASH JOIN OUTER
|
| 3495K|
176M|
| 5348
(2)| 00:01:05 |
|
6 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL| EMPLOYEES
|
856 | 22256 |
|
68
(0)| 00:00:01 |
|
7 |
TABLE ACCESS FULL| PHONE_NUMBERS | 3495K|
90M|
| 5265
(1)| 00:01:04 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Predicate Information (identified by operation id):
--------------------------------------------------5 - access("PHO"."EMPLOYEE_ID"="EMP"."EMPLOYEE_ID")
Timings
Elapsed (CPU)
Open cursor
0.04 (0.03)
First fetch
13.34 (12.78)
Remaining fetches
0.10 (0.04)
Write to file
0.08 (0.08)
Write plan
0.12 (0.05)
Total times:
13.71 (13.06)
(Other):
0.03 (0.08)
Summary for 8 * 107 = 856 employees with 1024 * 4 = 4096 numbers per employee
Timings
Elapsed (CPU)
Run_One - Total
13.72 (13.06)
Total times:
13.72 (13.06)
(Other):
0.00 (0.00)
PVAN
.
.
.

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Page 51 of 52

References
REF

REF-4
REF-5
REF-6

Document
Oracle Database SQL Language Reference 11g Release 2
(11.2)
Oracle Database Concepts 11g Release 2 (11.2)
Oracle Database PL/SQL Packages and Types Reference
11g Release 2 (11.2)
A Structured Approach to SQL Query Design
Code Timing and Object Orientation and Zombies
SQL Pivot and Prune Queries Output

REF-7

Tom Kytes Oracle database forum

REF-8
REF-9

Under the Net


Forming Range-Based Break Groups with Advanced SQL

REF-1
REF-2
REF-3

110516346.doc

Details

http://www.oracle.com/pls/db112

BP Furey, May 2009


BP Furey, November 2010
BP Furey, May 2011
I use it generally, and got the DBMS_XPlan
reference there in particular
Iris Murdoch, 1954
BP Furey, June 2011

Page 52 of 52

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