Rule-Based Query Optimization, Revisited

We present the architecture and a performance assessment of an extensible query optimizer written in Venus. Venus is a general-purpose active-database rule language embedded in C++. Following the developments in extensible database query optimizers, first in rule-based form followed by optimizers written as object-oriented programs, the Venus-based optimizer avails to the advantages of both. Venus' modular structure allows us to go a step further and provide extensibility in search by defining parameterized search components in a declarative form that has the additional effect of integrating heuristic and costbased optimization. We compare optimizers developed with Volcano, OPT++ and Venus. Venus' optimizing compiler yields code whose performance is comparable with Volcano and OPT++ on smaller queries. The ability to introduce additional pruning heuristics yields better scalability on larger queries. Evaluation of the system using quantitative software metrics supports a claim that th..