Book excerpt: Expert Oracle RAC Performance Diagnostics and Tuning provides comprehensive coverage of the features, technology and principles for testing and tuning RAC databases. The book takes a deep look at optimizing RAC databases by following a methodical approach based on scientific analysis rather than using a speculative approach, twisting and turning knobs and gambling on the system. The book starts with the basic concepts of tuning methodology, capacity planning, and architecture. Author Murali Vallath then dissects the various tiers of the testing implementation, including the operating system, the network, the application, the storage, the instance, the database, and the grid infrastructure. He also introduces tools for performance optimization and thoroughly covers each aspect of the tuning process, using many real-world examples, analyses, and solutions from the field that provide you with a solid, practical, and replicable approach to tuning a RAC environment. The book concludes with troubleshooting guidance and quick reference of all the scripts used in the book. Expert Oracle RAC Performance Diagnostics and Tuning covers scenarios and details never discussed before in any other performance tuning books. If you have a RAC database, this book is a requirement. Get your copy today. Takes you through optimizing the various tiers of the RAC environment. Provides real life case studies, analysis and solutions from the field. Maps a methodical approach to testing, tuning and diagnosing the cluster