A method for performance tuning a database is described. The method includes setting a database-allowed core value between 500 megabytes and half size of memory for the database. Further, the method declares small and heavily accessed structures as memory resident structures, and sets a memory resident limit value between 0 and the database-allowed core value for the database. In addition, the method analyzes the database to determine whether read-ahead should be enabled for the data structures. The method also analyzes the database to apply a reblocking factor between 1 and 60. The method associates system buffers ranging from 1000 to 20000 with the data structures, and stores the system buffers in memory. Moreover, the method consolidates the data structures having unused space.