Using self-tuning memory in partitioned database environments

When self-tuning memory is enabled in partitioned database environments, there is a single database partition (known as the tuning partition) that monitors the memory configuration and propagates any configuration changes to all other database partitions to maintain a consistent configuration across all the participating database partitions.

The tuning partition is selected on the basis of several characteristics, such as the number of database partitions in the partition group and the number of buffer pools.

To determine which database partition is currently specified as the tuning partition, call the ADMIN_CMD procedure as follows:
```
CALL SYSPROC.ADMIN_CMD('get stmm tuning dbpartitionnum')
```
To change the tuning partition, call the ADMIN_CMD procedure as follows:
```
CALL SYSPROC.ADMIN_CMD('update stmm tuning dbpartitionnum <partitionnum>')
```
The tuning partition is updated asynchronously or at the next database startup. To have the memory tuner automatically select the tuning partition, enter -1 for the partitionnum value.

Starting the memory tuner in partitioned database environments

In a partitioned database environment, the memory tuner will start only if the database is activated by an explicit ACTIVATE DATABASE command, because self-tuning memory requires that all partitions be active.

Disabling self-tuning memory for a specific database partition

To disable self-tuning memory for a subset of database partitions, set the self_tuning_mem database configuration parameter to OFF for those database partitions.
To disable self-tuning memory for a subset of the memory consumers that are controlled by configuration parameters on a specific database partition, set the value of the relevant configuration parameter or the buffer pool size to MANUAL or to some specific value on that database partition. It is recommended that self-tuning memory configuration parameter values be consistent across all running partitions.
To disable self-tuning memory for a particular buffer pool on a specific database partition, issue the ALTER BUFFERPOOL statement, specifying a size value and the partition on which self-tuning memory is to be disabled.
An ALTER BUFFERPOOL statement that specifies the size of a buffer pool on a particular database partition will create an exception entry (or update an existing entry) for that buffer pool in the SYSCAT.BUFFERPOOLDBPARTITIONS catalog view. If an exception entry for a buffer pool exists, that buffer pool will not participate in self-tuning operations when the default buffer pool size is set to AUTOMATIC. To remove an exception entry so that a buffer pool can be enabled for self tuning:
1. Disable self tuning for this buffer pool by issuing an ALTER BUFFERPOOL statement, setting the buffer pool size to a specific value.
2. Issue another ALTER BUFFERPOOL statement to set the size of the buffer pool on this database partition to the size value specified in Step 1.
3. Enable self tuning for this buffer pool by issuing another ALTER BUFFERPOOL statement, setting the buffer pool size to AUTOMATIC.

Enabling self-tuning memory in nonuniform environments

Ideally, data should be distributed evenly across all database partitions, and the workload that is run on each partition should have similar memory requirements. If the data distribution is skewed, so that one or more of your database partitions contain significantly more or less data than other database partitions, these anomalous database partitions should not be enabled for self tuning. The same is true if the memory requirements are skewed across the database partitions, which can happen, for example, if resource-intensive sorts are only performed on one partition, or if some database partitions are associated with different hardware and more available memory than others. Self tuning memory can still be enabled on some database partitions in this type of environment. To take advantage of self-tuning memory in environments with skew, identify a set of database partitions that have similar data and memory requirements and enable them for self tuning. Memory in the remaining partitions should be configured manually.