Abstract: Techniques for automatically recommending parallel execution of a SQL statement. In one set of embodiments, a first determination can be made regarding whether a SQL statement can be executed in parallel. Further, a second determination can be made regarding whether executing the SQL statement in parallel is faster than executing the statement in serial by a predetermined factor. If the first determination and second determination are positive (i.e., the statement can be executed in parallel and parallel execution is faster by the predetermined factor), a recommendation can be provided indicating that the SQL statement should be executed in parallel. In some embodiments, the recommendation can include a report specifying the degree of performance improvement gained from parallel execution, additional system resources consumed by parallel execution, and other statistics pertaining to the recommended parallel execution plan.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing database system workload and replaying that workload in a database system is provided. According to one aspect, in order to subject a test database system to the same workload to which the production database system actually would be subjected, a database server in the production system captures and records workload that the database server receives from external entities. This captured workload is processed. Processes external to a database server in the test database system send the processed workload to that database server. As a result, the test database system is subjected to the same workload to which the production database system originally was subjected. The foregoing technique permits a database administrator to determine how the production database system will fare if the difference that is present in the test database system is introduced into the production database system.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for preserving data dependency during replay of database commands without strictly preserving a global ordering of the database commands is provided. A capture process captures a workload of database commands executed by a production system. The captured workload includes object identifiers that identify database objects that were referenced directly or indirectly during execution of the database commands by the production system. The captured workload also includes an indication of whether the database objects were potentially read or written during execution of the commands. The workload is processed to determine that an object accessed during execution of a command was previously modified during execution of one or more other commands. A replay process on a test database system prevents the command from being replayed until after the one or more other commands have been replayed to modify the object.

Abstract: One or more usage models are provided for a database. Each usage model includes a set of rules that are used to analyze database performance. A usage model in one or more usage models is determined. Database information is determined based on the usage model. The database information is then analyzed based on rules associated with the usage model. One or more performance problems are determined based on the analysis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing database system workload and replaying that workload in a database system is provided. According to one aspect, in order to subject a test database system to the same workload to which the production database system actually would be subjected, a database server in the production system captures and records workload that the database server receives from external entities. This captured workload is processed. Processes external to a database server in the test database system send the processed workload to that database server. As a result, the test database system is subjected to the same workload to which the production database system originally was subjected. The foregoing technique permits a database administrator to determine how the production database system will fare if the difference that is present in the test database system is introduced into the production database system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing database system workload and replaying that workload in a database system is provided. According to one aspect, in order to subject a test database system to the same workload to which the production database system actually would be subjected, a database server in the production system captures and records workload that the database server receives from external entities. This captured workload is processed. Processes external to a database server in the test database system send the processed workload to that database server. As a result, the test database system is subjected to the same workload to which the production database system originally was subjected. The foregoing technique permits a database administrator to determine how the production database system will fare if the difference that is present in the test database system is introduced into the production database system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with hybrid optimization strategies in automatic SQL tuning are described. One example method includes receiving a first (e.g., cost-based) execution plan for a user structured query language statement (User SQL) from a first (e.g., cost-based) optimizer. The example method may also include receiving a second (e.g., rules-based) execution plan for the User SQL from a second, different (e.g., rules-based) query optimizer. The method may include identifying a preferred execution plan based on data produced by test executing the execution plans in a reproduced execution environment that reproduces at least a portion of an execution environment in which the user SQL runs. The method may also include controlling a database to execute the User SQL using the preferred execution plan.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with test execution of user SQL in server code are described. One example method includes producing a reproduced execution environment that reproduces a portion of an execution environment in which a user SQL runs. The example method may also include running the user SQL in the reproduced execution environment and capturing a statistic associated with performance of the user SQL while the user SQL runs in the reproduced execution environment. The method may conclude by storing, displaying, and/or providing a signal concerning the statistic.

Abstract: A diagnosability system for automatically collecting, storing, communicating, and analyzing diagnostic data for one or more monitored systems. The diagnosability system comprises several components configured for the collection, storage, communication, and analysis of diagnostic data for a condition detected in monitored system. The diagnosability system enables targeted dumping of diagnostic data so that only diagnostic data that is relevant for diagnosing the condition detected in the monitored system is collected and stored. This in turn enables first failure analysis thereby reducing the time needed to resolve the condition detected in the monitored system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing database system workload and replaying that workload in a database system is provided. According to one aspect, in order to subject a test database system to the same workload to which the production database system actually would be subjected, a database server in the production system captures and records workload that the database server receives from external entities. This captured workload is processed. Processes external to a database server in the test database system send the processed workload to that database server. As a result, the test database system is subjected to the same workload to which the production database system originally was subjected. The foregoing technique permits a database administrator to determine how the production database system will fare if the difference that is present in the test database system is introduced into the production database system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing database system workload and replaying that workload in a database system is provided. According to one aspect, in order to subject a test database system to the same workload to which the production database system actually would be subjected, a database server in the production system captures and records workload that the database server receives from external entities. This captured workload is processed. Processes external to a database server in the test database system send the processed workload to that database server. As a result, the test database system is subjected to the same workload to which the production database system originally was subjected. The foregoing technique permits a database administrator to determine how the production database system will fare if the difference that is present in the test database system is introduced into the production database system.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention provide solutions that can offer a consistent framework for tools that assist in the configuration, tuning, and/or troubleshooting of a database and/or an RDBMS. Merely by way of example, one set of embodiments provides a software framework for an advisor component of a database and/or RDBMS. In accordance with some embodiments, the framework might specify a common data model for such advisor components. The data model can include, merely by way of example, a set of one or more findings (which might, in some cases, describe the result of an analysis of a circumstance in the database, RDBMS, and/or a mid-tier application used with the database) and/or a set of one or more recommendations (which might provide suggestions for addressing the circumstance). In particular embodiments. In particular embodiments, the data model might include a set of on or more rationales, which can explain the recommendations.

Abstract: A self-managing workload repository (AWR) infrastructure useful for a database server to collect and manage selected sets of important system performance statistics. Based on a schedule, the AWR runs automatically to collect data about the operation of the database system, and stores the data that it captures into the database. The AWR is advantageously designed to be lightweight and to self manage its use of storage space so as to avoid ending up with a repository of performance data that is larger than the database that it is capturing data about. The AWR is configured to automatically capture snapshots of statistics data on a periodic basis as well as purge stale data on a periodic basis. Both the frequency of the statistics data capture and length of time for which data is kept is adjustable. Manual snapshots and purging may also be performed. The AWR captured data allows for both system level and user level analysis to be automatically performed without unduly impacting system performance, e.g.

Abstract: Particular embodiments generally relate to displaying database time using a treemap. A set of database time values is determined for a set of dimensions. The database time values measure performance of one or more databases by the time the database takes to respond to a request. The set of database time values is correlated to a set of cells in the treemap. A size of the cell is determined based on the database time value associated with it. For example, the database time value is correlated to an area of the cell. A layout of the set of cells is determined and the treemap is displayed using the layout. For example, the largest values of database time may be shown with the largest sized cells. This makes it easier for an administrator to review and analyze the database performance across multiple dimensions and determine problem areas affecting the performance of the one or more databases.

Abstract: A method for receiving a database query language statement and performance information about the statement at an optimizer and generating one or more tuning actions for the statement with the performance information is disclosed.

Abstract: Techniques for self-diagnosing performance problems in a database are provided. The techniques include classifying one or more performance problems in a database system. One or more values for quantifying an impact of the one or more performance problems on the database system are then determined. The quantified values are determined based on the performance of operations in the database system. A performance problem based on the one or more quantified values is then determined. A solution for the performance problem is generated and may be outputted.

Abstract: A method and system for storing one or more database query language statements and performance information for each query language statement as a persistent database object. In one or more embodiments, the method and system stores the resource intensive statements and the performance information for each resource intensive statement as a second persistent database object.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with hybrid optimization strategies in automatic SQL tuning are described. One example method includes receiving a first (e.g., cost-based) execution plan for a user structured query language statement (User SQL) from a first (e.g., cost-based) optimizer. The example method may also include receiving a second (e.g., rules-based) execution plan for the User SQL from a second, different (e.g., rules-based) query optimizer. The method may include identifying a preferred execution plan based on data produced by test executing the execution plans in a reproduced execution environment that reproduces at least a portion of an execution environment in which the user SQL runs. The method may also include controlling a database to execute the User SQL using the preferred execution plan.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with test execution of user SQL in server code are described. One example method includes producing a reproduced execution environment that reproduces a portion of an execution environment in which a user SQL runs. The example method may also include running the user SQL in the reproduced execution environment and capturing a statistic associated with performance of the user SQL while the user SQL runs in the reproduced execution environment. The method may conclude by storing, displaying, and/or providing a signal concerning the statistic.

Abstract: A method to addresses structural performance problems of a database query language statement is provided. The method includes receiving a database query language statement at an optimizer, evaluating choices in a search space to generate an execution plan for the statement, and producing annotations to record one or more reasons for selecting each choice while generating the execution plan.