Hi Robert,

Bulk inserts can be CPU bound if FB has to update lots of indices, so
it wasn't a crazy question, but generally it will be I/O bound. By the
way, if you are reading the "import files" from the same physical
drive, then obviously FB will be competing with the import files for
disk I/O. To some extent, Forced Writes off should counter this.

Obviously, de-activating all indices (including FK constraints etc)
during the insert removes this overhead, but obviously this is only an
option if the database is not being used by other people. (Well as
long as their transactions aren't relying on the index you disable it
should work, but then the machine will take a lot longer to process
their queries, so any saving you have made in insert performance will
be countered by the select / update / delete performance.

Use embedded sever on windows for the insert (if you are the only user
so that is possible), and classic server on anything else.

Would creating an external table help here?

Adam