SQL Statement Tuning # 2

In this article, we will be discussing the so called "unsuitable access path" that may get chosen
during the SQL Statement Execution.

Sample SQL Statement goes like this : select * from LIPS where MANDT='001' and
VGBEL='00009869'.

In this example, the application requests the records of table LIPS where MANDT (the client)
equals '001' and the field VGBEL (the name of person who created the record or object) is
'00009869'. Many records are read, although only two are requested. Therefore, for some
reason, this statement chooses an unsuitable access path.
 As a result of unsuitable access path, it will be forced to scan through large amount of the data
from the table to get the expected results, execution of the statement can be accelerated by:

 Update the Optimizer Statistics

 Change of the ABAP Code
 Optimizing the user input
 Create/extending/dropping an index to suit the where clause

In our case, there is only one index available on table LIPS, in order to improve the response
time, we should probably create an index to suit the where clause. (Please note that the
performance of other statements may suffer if the index is created/extended/dropped.)

Before creating an index, we should know how selectivity the index would be, you can use DB05
to identify the index requirement. Please be aware the selectivity analysis is expensive, hence
recommended to perform when the system load is low.