The new tool set, called DB Optimizer, represents a new area of focus for San Francisco-based Embarcadero, which believes database administrators are under more pressure by consolidated IT organization to shoulder the responsibilities of database and application development. "We see a lot of our customers are splitting the roles of their database administrators and developers," said Greg Nerpouni, a senior product manager at Embarcadero. "Service level requirements mean databases always have to be up and running and running as fast as they can, so in production if there is a slowdown or spike of some sort, they can react by profiling that database."
On the development side, Nerpouni says a growing number of DBAs are being assigned or associated with application development teams. "As they're developing out their applications, they are responsible for making sure the applications that they are releasing into production are running effectively and are fully optimized," he said.
Nerpouni said the tool helps stop the proliferation of poor performing SQL in the development lifecycle. Teams can react quickly to unexpected database performance issues, using DB Optimizer to hone in on the offensive SQL. Development teams are presented detailed information to help fix the problematic SQL, according to Nerpouni. From the desktop the software will allow a DBA to perform a wait time analysis of SQL statements within a database without any agents being installed in that database.
In addition to wait times, the IDE examines CPU and I/O performance and can optimize SQL problem statements. "Whatever it might be, in real time we will draw a graph that shows the peaks and valleys, where you will be able to see quickly where the most activity is happening," Nerpouni said.
CodeGear Synergy
DB Optimizer is the first product released since Embarcadero acquired development tools vendor CodeGear in May. While the product was under development before the acquisition, IDC Analyst Al Hilwa says CodeGear offers a marketing and distribution boost to the DB Optimizer line.
"One of the things CodeGear has going for it is its channel," Hilwa said. Embarcadero sells direct, primarily in North America, so bringing the international channel reach of Borland and CodeGear promises to expand Embarcadero's overall market presence, he said.
"The question for me is how are these companies going to cross leverage their skills and create synergy. The database and code developers are not exactly the same people, but it's always a plus for them to have similar and congruent tools and integrated tools," Hilwa said. "Now the combined company will try to address that combined need but it's a question of whether they can take the CodeGear brand and extend it to the DBA and take the Embarcadero brand and extend it to developers. It's going to be a TBD, but there is a tremendous value proposition."
The DB Optimizer tool runs against Oracle, IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server and Sybase databases, according to the company. It costs $1,500 per seat per database platform.
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