Optimize Sort Operations

Introduction
As a DBA, you are responsible to optimize sort operations of your organization’s database in
case of performance problems. Your job’s responsibilities dictate that you should be aware of the
following basic fundamental subjects:

Monitoring a sort statement operation

Optimizing a sort statement operation
Using the V$SYSSTAT view
SORTS (DISK)
SORTS (MEMORY)
Calculating the sort Ratio
SORT_AREA_SIZE
PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET
Increasing the SORT_AREA_SIZE parameter

Hands-on
In this exercise, you will learn how to monitor and optimize sort operations.

Now, connect to SQLPlus as the SYSTEM/MANAGER user.

SQL> CONNECT system/manager AS SYSDBA
Sorting process
The Oracle Server Processes will sort as much as they can in the memory sort area before using
any disk sort space.
Sort performed destination (Memory vs. Disk)
Now, query the V$SYSSTAT view to track the number of in-memory and to-disk sorts, as well
as the total number of rows sorted.
SQL> SELECT name, value
FROM v$sysstat
WHERE name like 'sorts%'
/
Notice that the sorts (disk) number must be very low, and the sorts (memory) number can be as
high as possible.
The ‘sorts (memory)’ value is a number of times that Oracle tables were sorted in the memory.
The ‘sorts (disk)’ value is a number of times that Oracle tables were sorted on the disk using the
TEMPORARY tablespace.

Sort HIT Ratio (Memory vs. Disk)

Now, determine the sort ratio of the in-memory vs. to-disk sorts.
SQL> SELECT 100*(a.value-b.value)/(a.value) AS "Sort Ratio"
FROM v$sysstat a, v$sysstat b
WHERE a.name = 'sorts (memory)'
AND b.name ='sorts (disk)'
/
Notice that the sort ratio should be greater than 95%. If you are not using the automatic PGA
memory and the number is less than 95 percent, you should greatly consider increasing the value
of the SORT_AREA_SIZE parameter. If you are using the automatic PGA memory and the
number is less than 95 percent, you should greatly consider increasing the value of the
PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET parameter.

Increase sort area in memory

Try to increase the SORT_AREA_SIZE parameter to 819200 bytes.
SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET sort_area_size=819200 SCOPE=spfile
/
In order for the change to take effect, the database needs to be restarted.

Shutdown and startup the database in order to see the changes.

SQL> SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;

SQL> CONNECT system/manager AS SYSDBA

SQL> STARTUP