A system for data base management using memory devices holding a database containing tables of data occupying extents. A database engine reviews each query to determine an extents list of extents containing the data needed by that said query. A query monitor then re-orders the extents lists so that extents are retreived and stored in a buffer cache for more efficient use when executing the queries. The database engine retreives needed extents from the memory devices, as ordered in the extents lists, and stores those extents in the buffer cache. The database engine then executes one or more queries on the data in the extents in the buffer cache to determine respective results.