This paper presents an analytical discussion of algorithms for relational database operations in a grid environment, compares the findings with the classical generalized mul-tiprocessor framework, and describes an optimization algorithm to maximize performance for a heterogeneous environment. We develop a concise but comprehensive analytical model of parallel algorithms for sorting, joining, and aggre-gation. In our approach we focus on a limited number of characteristic parameters to keep the analytical model clear. It is shown that an expressive model can be built upon just three characteristic parameter sets, namely the node processing performance and the network and the disk bandwidths. These parameters are the input for the optimizatio...