CHAPTER 2The Anatomy of a Database System

Have you ever wondered what goes on inside a database system? While you may know the basics of a relational database system (RDBS) and be an expert at administering the system, you may have never explored the inner workings of a database system. Most of us have been trained on and have experience with managing database systems, but neither academic nor professional training includes much about the way database systems are constructed. A database professional may never need this knowledge, but it is good to know how the system works so that you can understand how best to optimize your server and even how best to utilize its features.

This chapter covers the basics of the subsystems that RDBSs contain ...

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