Patent attributes
An apparatus, method and computer program product for estimating as-a-Service (aaS) query prices in a relational database management system (RDBMS). An optimizer of the RDBMS inserts an EXPLAIN modifier into a query, wherein the EXPLAIN modifier results in the optimizer generating a summary of a query execution plan for the query that includes one or more cost estimates for the RDBMS to perform the query. A price estimate for the query is then generated based on the cost estimates, wherein the price estimate is generated using one or more configurable pricing formulae. The price estimate is merged into the summary of the query execution plan for the query. Moreover, a price guarantee may be generated for the price estimate, wherein the price guarantee is honored when the query is subsequently invoked for execution by the RDBMS.