"In fact, some database administrators say that tuning an Oracle database is like trying to work on a car while it's flying down the highway at 60 mph! Because of Oracle's flexibility, the internal software is phenomenally complex, and there are hundreds of variables that can cause performance problems. The complexity leaves many shops unable to keep their database properly tuned. An Oracle database is constantly changing, and the dynamic nature of tuning and of the Oracle environment makes it difficult for the Oracle database administrator to get a handle on what's going on inside the database."