I like this answer regarding database table performance question
by: Salty on Dec 12 2008 (9 months ago)
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The only reason to break out data as you described is to normalize the data, so that you aren't storing the same information in more than one table. For a table that stores destinations, all the data fields you list there are perfect candidates for the destination table, and don't belong anywhere else.
As long as you index all the fields you will use in any WHERE, ORDER BY and GROUP BY clauses, you will not have much--if any--performance hit on 700,000 records, regardless of the number of fields in each record. And 20-40 fields per record is not unusually large. It isn't the quantity of fields you should worry about, but the logic of having each field in the table where it makes the most sense, normalizing the data to the third normal form, and proper indexing.
Best Answer
Official Rating
- Collapse
The only reason to break out data as you described is to normalize the data, so that you aren't storing the same information in more than one table. For a table that stores destinations, all the data fields you list there are perfect candidates for the destination table, and don't belong anywhere else.
As long as you index all the fields you will use in any WHERE, ORDER BY and GROUP BY clauses, you will not have much--if any--performance hit on 700,000 records, regardless of the number of fields in each record. And 20-40 fields per record is not unusually large. It isn't the quantity of fields you should worry about, but the logic of having each field in the table where it makes the most sense, normalizing the data to the third normal form, and proper indexing.
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