FAQ's
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  • Environments supported
    What database technologies are monitored?
    The product line monitors Informix (7.x and 10.x), Microsoft SQL Server (4.23 to 2005), Oracle (7.x to 10g.x) and Sybase (4.2 to 15.x). TCP/IP, ODBC, Token Ring, Fddi, DECNET, and Named Pipes protocols are monitored with ZERO impact
    What environments are the products available for?
    The product line's monitoring component runs on AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, Windows NT, 2000, XP, or 2003. A monitoring component running on any of these platforms can monitor SQL (or end-user service levels) being sent to a database server running on any other platform type (AIX, AS400, True 64 UNIX (Compaq Alpha Server), HP-UX, OS/2, OS/390, SCO UNIX, Sequent, Solaris, VMS (DEC), Windows, etc). The product's GUI runs on Windows NT, 2000, XP, or 2003.
    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 hardware requirements?
    A Zero Impact Sql Monitor running on a laptop, workstation or server can monitor with ZERO impact a database server running on any host (AIX, AS400, True 64 UNIX (Compaq Alpha Server), HP-UX, Linux, OS/2, OS/390, SCO UNIX, Sequent, Solaris, VMS (DEC), Windows, etc). 10,000+ users or 10,000+ transactions/sec may be monitored from a laptop, workstation or server.
    What is the overhead on the host the product monitoring component runs on?
    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%. NOTE: High speed capture facility reduces total overhead to less than .25% of a single CPU (or .0625% per CPU for a four CPU database server).
    How much disk space do the products require?
    The product GUI requires 10 megabytes of disk space (runs on Windows NT, 2000, XP, or 2003). The product monitoring component (runs on AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, Windows NT, 2000, XP, or 2003) requires 2 megabytes of disk space. The end-user service level, top N SQL and end-user data usage analysis results are usually less than 20 megabytes of disk space.
    Are special drivers or any database vendor software required to sniff (non-intrusively read) the SQL network packets?
    None.
  • 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 onsite training available?
    A one or two day onsite training course is available.
    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. Entry level pricing starts at $1,200 per license. Please contact our Sales associates at sales@sqlpower.com or 307.433.8039 for a price list.
    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.
Customers
" After years as a DBA, I can tell you there is absolutely nothing on the market that compares to the Zero Impact Sql Monitor product line...it is the best performance investment you will ever make. "
Frank LaDue
Advanced Technology Company
Readers Choice Sql Power Tools wins Best SQL product by the readers of Redmond Magazine
Sql Power Tools Releases ZUI for zero impact 100% web enabled database monitoring. Offers the best user interface for real-time monitoring with an easy-to-use, fully customizable web interface for real-time and historical database server monitoring. Pricing starts at $1,200. Read more.