As noted in Section 8.6, “Controlling Optimizer Statistics Estimation”, the
      InnoDB Plugin allows you to control the way in which InnoDB
      gathers information about the number of distinct values in an
      index key.  A related parameter, innodb_stats_on_metadata, has
      existed since MySQL release 5.1.17 to control whether or not
      InnoDB performs statistics gathering when metadata statements
      are executed.  See the MySQL manual on InnoDB Startup Options and System Variables for
      details.
Beginning with release 1.0.2 of the InnoDB Plugin, it is
      possible to change the setting of innodb_stats_on_metadata
      dynamically at runtime with the command SET GLOBAL
      innodb_stats_on_metadata=,
      where modemodeON or OFF (or
      1 or 0).  Changing this
      setting requires the SUPER privilege and
      immediately affects the operation of all connections.
This is the User’s Guide for InnoDB Plugin 1.0.6 for MySQL 5.1, generated on March 4, 2010 (rev 673:680M).

