1. A method for executing a query issued to a database server by a database client, the method comprising the steps of: said database server receiving said query; transparently to said database client and prior to the database server executing said query: said database server detecting that said query requires access to a database object, and in response to detecting that said query requires access to said database object: said database server creating a modified query by selectively adding one or more optimizer hints that indicate how a query optimizer should create an execution plan for executing said query; and executing, within said database server, said modified query to access data managed by said database server.