Viewing Historical Performance Statistics

You can view collected historical data using graphical analytical tools and SQL query tools provided in Server Studio JE. For any IDS parameter's dataset, stored in the repository, you can display either time series chart or hourly, daily or monthly histogram. You can also export time series data into the text file for further analysis using external analytical tool, such as Microsoft's Excel.

Graphical Tool

There are multiple ways to open a historical data graphical viewer:

• From top-level menu, choose Tools -> Monitoring -> Historical Data -> Graph Tool.
• From the Automation node, choose Tools -> Monitoring -> Historical Data -> Graph Tool shortcut menu.
• From a connection node for a required database server, choose Monitoring -> Historical Data -> Graph Tool shortcut menu.
• From a monitor node, choose Historical Data -> Graph Tool shortcut menu.
• From a monitor's top-level menu, choose Monitor -> Historical Data -> Graph Tool.

The Select Graph Parameters dialog box allows you to choose, which parameters from the data stored in the repository you want to see.

1. Choose a required database instance from the Instance dropdown listbox.
2. Choose the parameter that you want to see for the selected instance in the Parameter column in the grid and select a time interval for this parameter. The list of time intervals is automatically compiled by the Sentinel server based on the actually collected information. The old interval closes and new interval starts after the monitor collecting this parameter's data is stopped for a period longer than 10 refresh intervals defined for the parameter, or when the parameter's refresh interval changes as a result of monitor's modification. Because the refresh interval affects very significantly values of the collected accumulated data (longer sample intervals lead to higher values of accumulated counters), this logic of auto-keeping the list of time intervals, when data were collected in a consistent manner, helps you to make sure that you compare 'apples to apples' when looking at the historical parameter's data. It also helps to eliminate long breaks in parameter's time series that result from a monitor inactivity.
3. For parameters from Table/Index, Chunk, Session or DBSpace category, you have to specify the exact object list, in addition to time interval. For example, for Table-Buffreads parameter, you have to specify the list of tables, for which data were collected in the repository. Individual graphs will be displayed for each selected table.
4. You can display parameters from several instances simultaneously on the same Graph Tool panel. To add parameters from another database instance, change the instance in the Instance dropdown list and press Add button to add new row to the grid. This row will contain the list of parameters available for a new server instance in the Parameter column.
5. Press OK button. The Graph Tool document will be created in the docuent area of Server Studio JE.

In the graphical viewer panel, use shortcut menu on the selected graph area to switch between time-series, hourly, weekly and monthly histograms. The histograms provide you with a convenient way to analyze the database server peak activities over a time. They show average values for the selected period. For example, if you choose to display a weekly histogram for a data set collected over one month, the displayed value for each day of week will be the average of four days in this month. The hourly histogram for the same month will show hourly average values of all days in that month. Use the Export shortcut menu on the selected graph to export the graph time-series data into a text file.

Query Tool

The Query Tool allows you to directly query data stored in the historical data repository tables using SQL statements. The retrieved data is displayed in the grid and can be also exported to a text file for further analysis by external analytical tools. There are multiple ways to open a historical data graphical viewer:

• From top-level menu, choose Tools -> Monitoring -> Historical Data -> Query Tool.
• From the Automation node, choose Tools -> Monitoring -> Historical Data -> Query Tool shortcut menu.
• From a connection node for a required database server, choose Monitoring -> Historical Data -> Query Tool shortcut menu.
• From a monitor node, choose Historical Data -> Query Tool shortcut menu.
• From a monitor's top-level menu, choose Monitor -> Historical Data -> Query Tool.

The Query Tool panel contains editing area, result set area and the repository structure tree. In the editing area, you can type single or multiple SQL queries, separated by semicolon ";" character. Use SQL menu or shortcut menu to execute or highlighted statements in the editor and export generated result sets to text files. You can save queries created in the editor by using File -> Save menu. You can open saved queries using SQL -> File Open menu after the Query Tool panel is opened. To execute a query, use SQL -> Execute menu or Execute toolbar button. To export retrieved data set, use SQL -> Export All Data menu or shortcut menu on the selected result set grid.