One embodiment of the present invention is a wizard (e.g., software) for configuring database access middleware for optimal performance. The wizard asks a set of questions. The questions are presented to the user with a navigable UI, and are designed such that the user does not need database expertise to answer them. Based on the user's answers, the wizard generates a set of connect options and values to be used to optimize performance of the user's middleware. Users can use the wizard to determine whether currently selected options or values of a deployed application are optimal, and to determine if other options/values should be used that may improve the performance of the existing application. Also, a prospective customer that is evaluating middleware can use this wizard to tune the middleware for the intended application, thereby allowing that user to better assess how the middleware will perform.