Release 10.1A: OpenEdge Getting Started:
Database Essentials

Physical database design

The physical database design is a refinement of the logical design. In this phase, you examine how the user will access the database. During this phase you ask yourself:

What data will I commonly use?
Which columns in the table should I index based on data access?
Where must I build in flexibility and allow for growth?
Should I denormalize the database to improve performance?

It is possible that at this stage you denormalize the database to meet performance requirements.

Once you determine the physical design of your database, you must determine how to map your database to your hardware. Maintaining the physical database is the primary responsibility of a database administrator. In Chapter 3, "OpenEdge RDBMS," the physical storage of the OpenEdge database is discussed.