How to explain at your boss that code/resources optimization is important?

Question

Ahhhw, every time is so frustrating..

We have a dedicated server in our hosting company, and everytime i have to write down a new app (or an add to an pre-existing app), i use to 'lose' some time to optimize the code for many behaviors (reducing the db query, optimizing the db structure, reducing the bandwith, etc..) depending on what the app is supposed to do.

Obviously, is the point is not that i write bad code and then rebuild it, its just that after the project is complete, i allways find somethings that could be done better.

And everytime, if my boss catch me doing this, he say 'Your wasting your time! if the application need more resources, we buy more RAM, more CPU, or more bandwith!'.

What is the best (and simplyest) way to explain he that optimization is still important, and that is not so easy or automagically upgrating the hardware of an (production!) server?

EDIT: im not talking just about database optimization, but every aspect of an application

Answer 1

Chances are you are really wasting time. Most of the optimizations that you learn in college or university are sort of irrelevant in the business world. I recommend concentrating on those optimizations where you can quantify WHY your optimization is worth your company's money (your time spent is their money spent).