Why you should keep your database idle on purpose: capacity planning lessons from 24 years of solo engineering

Short summary

A veteran software engineer argues the database tier should be deliberately kept idle — running well below capacity — because it's the irreplaceable record that can't be easily rebuilt. Key practices include pre-aggregating data on schedule rather than on demand, dynamically cutting unnecessary joins, and refusing to spend spare database capacity on optimization tools. The philosophy treats database headroom as a buffer for user load, not a budget to be spent on faster reports.

• •Keep database load well below capacity as a deliberate buffer for unexpected user load
• •Pre-aggregate data on schedule rather than computing on demand to avoid unpredictable costs
• •Dynamically skip redundant joins and refuse to spend spare DB capacity on optimization tools

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.