Evaluating UNIX(TM) database tools for a decision support environment.
13 October 1986
Many of the analytic activities of Center 5954 involve research in market and financial analysis. Consequently, our data processing consists primarily of extracting information from large static databases with ad hoc queries. The major data management needs can be summarized as follows: 1.) Size of Databases: Currently our database sizes range from 5 megabytes up to several hundred megabytes. In the future they would run beyond tens of gigabytes. 2.) Static Databases: we are not concerned with on-line updates to databases. Updating, if any, is in bulk. 3.) Major Applications: Often our databases are short lived. The typical activities are to run innovative statistical analyses on subsets of the data. We do not have any production-oriented systems. This memorandum will discuss the technical aspects of evaluating UNIX(TM) database tools for a decision support environment.