Real-time database performance and availability change root cause analysis method and system

• US 20060112135A1
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enteros, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DBA Infopower Incorporated
• Inventors: Warshawsky, Ron
• Granted Patent: US 7,203,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3452 Performance evaluation by statistical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/80 Database-specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/81 Threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/835 Timestamp
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/88 Monitoring involving counting

Abstract

Root cause analysis of changes impacting database performance, availability and continuity to the underlying business may be performed. A system for doing so may include analytical and visual comparison root cause analysis engines to identify changed database performance statistical parameters (such as CPU consumption, physical I/O, etc) related to a historical period of time on a single database or across multiple databases. Result data may be displayed through a series of charts and reports that may indicate whether correlations exist between unexpected database performance and relative changes in database performance statistical parameters. A visual root cause analysis system may further apply noise reduction algorithms to clarify trends in changes of database system performance.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of root cause analysis of database system performance and availability issues, the method comprising:

obtaining a value of each of one or more database-related quantities selected from the group consisting of database parameters and database performance statistics at a beginning point of time T(i);

obtaining a value of each of said one or more database-related quantities at an ending point of time T(i+1);

calculating and recording value differences between ending and starting values for each of said one or more database-related quantities and recording the duration between T(i) and T(i+1) and a current time stamp; and

enabling a user to view the difference for each of said one or more database-related quantities to determine at least one item selected from the group consisting of;

a greatest absolute value, a greatest percent increase, and an impact on performance of the database system.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein said one or more database-related quantities are related to database query language statement statistics associated with one or more database query language statements executed in one or more databases.

2. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of root cause analysis of database system performance and availability issues, the method comprising:

obtaining value difference values of each of one or more database-related quantities selected from the group consisting of database parameters and database performance statistics at a beginning point of time T(i);

obtaining value difference values of each of said one or more database-related quantities at an ending point of time T(i+1);

obtaining a value of each of said one or more database-related quantities at another beginning point of time T(j);

obtaining a value of each of said one or more database-related quantities at another ending point of time T(j+1);

calculating and recording value differences between ending and starting values for each of said one or more database-related quantities and recording the duration between T(i) and T(i+1) and a current time stamp, said value differences collectively denoted VAL(i);

calculating and recording value differences between ending and starting values for each of said one or more database-related quantities for the starting time T(j) and the ending time T(j+1), and recording the duration between T(j) and T(j+1) and a current time stamp, said value differences collectively denoted VAL(j);

calculating and recording at least one value difference between VAL(j) and VAL(i); and

enabling a user to review the difference for each database-related quantity to determine at least one item selected from the group consisting of;

a relative value of increase or decrease; and

impact of a relative value of increase or decrease on performance of a database system between two performance collection periods.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein said calculating comprises:

determining a relative increase or decrease between the VAL(i) and VAL(j) values in percent.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein said calculating further comprises:

determining said relative increase or decrease as a difference of a percent value of a total sum of corresponding database-related quantities.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein a difference for each database-related quantity is reviewable only when it exceeds a user defined absolute value threshold.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein a difference for each database-related quantity is reviewable only when it exceeds a user defined percent value threshold.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein a difference for each database-related quantity is reviewable only when it exceeds user provided absolute and percent values.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein a difference for each database-related quantity is reviewable only when it exceeds user provided absolute and percent values.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein said one or more database-related quantities are related to database query language statement statistics associated with one or more database query language statements executed in one or more databases.

9. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of calculating and displaying single database performance statistic data on a single database comprising:

identifying sets of data points from a set of single database performance statistics for a single database, wherein each database performance data point is calculated and recorded as a difference between database performance statistic values of two adjacent data points in time T(i) and T(i+1) and wherein a corresponding timestamp value is recorded; and

displaying the data points on a chart, said chart comprising a data set display area, a vertical database performance statistic value axis, and a horizontal axis of time.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein said difference between database performance statistic values is expressed in at least one of the forms selected from the group consisting of the following:

absolute value and percent value.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein said sets of data points are calculated and displayed on a same chart for a single similar statistic across multiple physical databases.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein said sets of data points are calculated and displayed on a same chart for a single similar statistic for a logical database cluster, wherein said logical database cluster comprises two or more physical databases.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein said sets of data points are calculated and displayed on a same chart for multiple database performance statistics for a single physical database.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein said sets of data points are calculated and displayed on a same chart for multiple database performance statistics for multiple physical databases.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein said sets of data points are calculated and displayed on a same chart for multiple database performance statistics for a logical database cluster, wherein said logical database cluster comprises two or more physical databases.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising additional computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

calculating at least one set of data points on a same database performance statistic using data from historical time periods of equal time span to (T(i+1)−

T(i)) to thus obtain one or more sets of historical data points; and

displaying said one or more sets of historical data points on said chart, along with said one or more sets of data points.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein said sets of data points are calculated and displayed on a same chart for a single similar statistic across multiple physical databases.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein said sets of data points are calculated and displayed on a same chart for a single similar statistic for a logical database cluster, wherein said logical database cluster comprises two or more physical databases.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein said sets of data points are calculated and displayed on a same chart for multiple database performance statistic for a single physical database.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein said sets of data points are calculated and displayed on a same chart for multiple database performance statistic for a multiple physical database.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein said sets of data points are calculated and displayed on a same chart for multiple database performance statistics for a logical database cluster, wherein said logical database cluster comprises two or more physical databases.

22. The computer readable medium according to claim 9, further comprising computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

obtaining from a user or using default database performance statistic moving average period; and

calculating a database performance statistic moving average data set based on the values of said database performance statistic using said moving average period.

23. The computer readable medium according to claim 9, further comprising computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

computing a database performance statistic moving average period as a user defined ratio of an overall time span of underlying data values of a database statistic data set; and

calculating a database performance statistic moving average data set based on the values of said database performance statistic using said moving average period.

24. The computer readable medium according to claim 17, further comprising computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

obtaining from a user a database performance statistic moving average period; and

calculating a database performance statistic moving average data set based on the sets of data points using said moving average period.

25. The computer readable medium according to claim 18, further comprising computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

obtaining from a user a database performance statistic moving average period; and

calculating a database performance statistic moving average data set based on the sets of data points using said moving average period.

26. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

obtaining from a user a database performance statistic moving average period; and

calculating a database performance statistic moving average data set based on the sets of data points using said moving average period.

27. The computer readable medium according to claim 20, further comprising computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

obtaining from a user a database performance statistic moving average period; and

calculating a database performance statistic moving average data set based on the sets of data points using said moving average period.

28. The computer readable medium according to claim 21, further comprising computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

obtaining from a user a database performance statistic moving average period; and

calculating a database performance statistic moving average data set based on the sets of data points using said moving average period.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein said database-related quantities are related to database query language statement statistics associated with one or more database query language statements executed in one or more databases.

32. The computer readable medium according to claim 9, further comprising computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

calculating a database performance statistic regression data set based on the sets of data points.

33. The computer readable medium according to claim 17, further comprising computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

calculating a database performance statistic regression data set based on the sets of data points.

34. The computer readable medium according to claim 18, further comprising computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

calculating a database performance statistic regression data set based on the sets of data points.

35. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, further comprising computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

calculating a database performance statistic regression data set based on the sets of data points.

36. The computer readable medium according to claim 20, further comprising computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

calculating a database performance statistic regression data set based on the sets of data points.

37. The computer readable medium according to claim 21, further comprising computer-executable instructions such that the method further comprises:

calculating a database performance statistic regression data set based on the sets of data points.