An exponential growth pattern increases by a changing amount over equal intervals; monthly doubling produces a steep “dog-leg curve” and can exhaust planned storage rapidly. section 9.6
Use the pattern to avoid underestimating capacity:
- Compare projected growth with a linear baseline, such as data files consuming 5 GB per day. section 9.6
- For existing systems, chart historical data points and project storage requirements forward. section 9.6
- For greenfield systems, translate business forecasts into database volumes before installing additional SAN capacity. section 9.6
Sales database forecast
A forecast of 5,000 customers placing an average of 10 orders each can be expanded into representative database data using CROSS JOINs and numbers tables. section 9.6
Figure 9.6 Exponential growth pattern
The figure makes the steep, nonlinear storage trajectory visible beside the flatter linear pattern. section 9.6
