FAQ's
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  • Environments supported
    What database technologies are monitored?
    The product line monitors all releases of Informix, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle and Sybase.
    What environments are the products available for?
    The product line runs on AIX, Linux, Solaris and Windows.
    Are clustered database servers monitored?
    Yes.
  • Operations
    Is middleware needed on the server?
    Absolutely not! All middleware performance monitoring approaches are too intrusive (end-users connect to middleware) for production monitoring. Also if the middleware goes down, all end-users are disconnected from the database server. The Sql Power Tools products require no intrusive middleware, proxy servers, audits, traces, etc.
    Is there any degredation in performance to the database server, network and end-users?
    Absolutely not! All middleware performance monitoring approaches are too intrusive (end-users connect to middleware) for production monitoring. Also if the middleware goes down, all end-users are disconnected from the database server. The Sql Power Tools products require no intrusive middleware, proxy servers, audits, traces, etc.
    Are there any special hardware requirements?
    No.
    What is the monitoring overhead ?
    The CPU overhead is about 1% of a single processor. If the database server is using four CPUs, then the overhead per CPU is .25% for a total of 1%.
    How much disk space do the products require?
    The product GUI is 100% web enabled and requires 200 megabytes of disk space (any web browser may be used) for installation of the Application Server.
    Are special drivers or any database vendor software required to sniff (non-intrusively read) the SQL network packets?
    No.
  • Monitoring capabilities
    Are the products secure?
    The product's encrypted license key ensures that only SQL network packets directed to a specific IP address (host database server runs on) and port no. (that database server listens on) are non-intrusively sniffed. Network packets below port 1024 (email, ftp, telnet, WWW and other reserved services) are never examined or sniffed. Likewise network packets for other IP addresses and ports are never examined or sniffed by the product.
    Are SQL bind variables captured?
    Yes.
    Can Sql Power Tools monitor SQL from ERP Software and CRM Software?
    Yes. SQL from any of the ERP software packages or CRM software packages may be excluded/included/filtered/reconstructed by client IP addresses, login ids, applications, databases, servers, key words in SQL text, end-user response time, database server response time, network send or receive time, rows returned, spid/SID, time of day, number of packets, size of result set, and more.
    Can Sql Power Tools monitor SQL sent over ODBC or JDBC
    Yes. SQL over ODBC/JDBC may be excluded/included/filtered/reconstructed by client IP addresses, login ids, applications, databases, servers, key words in SQL text, end-user response time, database server response time, network send or receive time, rows returned, spid/SID, time of day, number of packets, size of result set, and more.
    Can SQL be excluded from capture or analysis (i.e. end-user service level, top N SQL and end-user data usage)?
    Yes. When database archiving is used, the table definitions will be automatically created in the database by the product. The data archived by the product may then be queried from the product GUI or any 3rd party adhoc query tool.
    Is there a limit on how much SQL may be captured to disk or a database?
    No. All or any subset of the SQL may be archived to a disk file (a proprietary or Excel format) and/or any database server. SQL may be archived to a database in real-time or off-line. Only high speed database vendor interfaces are used for database archiving.
  • Other
    Is training available?
    All customers receive FREE web cast based product training. A customer may have as many training sessions as they wish. All customers have at least an one hour training session. About 10% of the customer base has a second hour of training in topics of special interest.
    Do the products have reporting capabilities?
    The product line produces several reports. All reports may be viewed in the product GUI, written to a disk file (Excel spreadsheet or proprietary format), or archived to a database (then queried with product GUI or 3rd party query tool).
    How often is the product updated?
    The product line is constantly improved with new customer requested functionality. New product releases are distributed on a quarterly basis.
    Do the tools have any replaying capabilities?
    All production database server SQL with its performance metrics may be captured 24x7. The production SQL may then be replayed using existing database vendor tools or 3rd party products. The replaying of SQL captured from a production environment produces significantly more accurate load test results (since based on production SQL) than SQL test transactions (which are manually constructed by a test team).
    How are the products licensed?
    The products are licensed by database server instance.
    Where does Sql Power Tools perform software development and support?
    Sql Power Tools has no off shore facilities. All development and product support comes from within the United States of America.
Sql Power Tools awarded Community Choice Best Database Monitoring and Performance Product by SQL Server Magazine Sql Power Tools awarded Best Database Monitoring and Performance Product Community Choice Gold by SQL Server Magazine 2009.
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The Zero Impact Performance Divergence Monitor is released. Offers early warning of deteriorating performance in SQL Server database server farms. Analyzes performance trends and deviations from historical baselines to identify which performance metrics and SQL statements are deteriorating from a prior rolling time period or historical baseline. Read more.
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Advanced Technology Company

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