Online or Operational transaction processing (OLTP) refers to a class of systems or processes that manage database or commercial transactions. OLTP workloads are characterized by small, interactive transactions that generally require sub-second response times.
Online transaction processing (OLTP), is a class of information systems that facilitate and manage transaction-oriented applications, typically for data entry and retrieval transaction processing. The OLTP workloads are characterized by small, interactive transactions that generally require sub-second response times. It is very common for such systems to have high concurrent requirements with a read/write ratio ranging from 60/40 to as low as 98/2.
Modifications are predominantly singleton statements, and most queries are constrained to simple joins. The joins are limited to as few tables as possible. Standard practices call for indexing strategies, targeting an increase in concurrency versus query support. However more indexes can be created than is desired to reach acceptable query performance. The lower the proportion of write operations, the higher the level of indexing that can be tolerated. Database plan usually start with Third normal form (3NF) enforced with referential integrity (RI) constraints and the selectively deviate to Second normal form (2NF) when necessary to boost performance.
The term OLTP is somewhat ambiguous; some understand a "transaction" in the context of computer or database transactions, while others (such as the Transaction Processing Performance Council) define it in terms of business or commercial transactions. The "O" in the acronym can also stand for Operational.
OLTP has also been used to refer to processing in which the system responds immediately to user requests. An automatic teller machine (ATM) for a bank is an example of a commercial transaction processing application.
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