Definition: A static installation is a test installation configured against a fixed, read-only data set that does not change between test runs. It gives a stable baseline for repeatable tests, particularly query performance tests.
So what? When the data never changes, any change in performance can be traced to the software or its configuration. That makes static installations useful for benchmarking within short iterations.
Examples: Running the same query performance tests against a read-only archive after every build. Comparing results from a static installation across releases to spot slowdowns.
