We are always improving our computer hardware. It used to be that our CPUs increased their clock speed regularly. Then we started to add additional cores. Along with large increases of memory and disk technology, there has been this quest to lower the response time of our systems. However many of our computers don't seem to actually be moving quicker.
Are our database systems responding quicker? We have better search and join algorithms, hardware that transfers data quicker, and more knowledge about how to index our tables. I know all that information might not always be used in many systems, but we can strive to use the DMVs and DMFs to learn more about our databases and tune them better.
But do they respond quicker? In many cases they don't, and part of this is the continual growth of data. It seems we accumulate more and more data, at faster rates each year. There is also the ever-increasing level of overhead we seem to add to each piece of software we use. The bloat of software, often with frameworks designed to make the developer's job easier, result in systems that aren't any more responsive than they have been in the past.
I do wish software responded quicker, but I also love the richness of so many applications and web sites that I see. I think overall we've improved the experience of working with software by adding new features and capabilities over the years, especially in SQL Server.
Steve Jones
The Voice of the DBA Podcasts
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Today's podcast features music by Everyday Jones. No relation, but I stumbled on to them and really like the music. Support this great duo at www.everydayjones.com.
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