Method and system for performing a non-invasive runtime simulation for a database system

• US 20070162418A1
• Filed: 01/12/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Alcorn, Michael, Chitnis, Upendra
• Granted Patent: US 7,805,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures

Abstract

A method and system for evaluating at least one setting for a database system are disclosed. The method and system includes providing at least one configuration derivative including the at least one setting. The configuration derivative is uncommitted. The method and system also include running the database system for a period of time. The database system is run using a committed configuration including a plurality of settings for the database system. The method and system also include collecting data on performance of the database system based on the at least one configuration derivative during the running of the database.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating at least one setting for a database system comprising:

providing at least one configuration derivative including the at least one setting, the configuration derivative being uncommitted;

running the database system for a period of time and using a committed configuration including a plurality of settings for the database system; and

collecting data on performance of the database system based on the at least one configuration derivative during the running of the database system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one configuration derivative providing further includes:

providing at least one materialized query table for the database system using the at least one setting.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the collecting data further includes:

determining whether materialized query table is utilized during the running of the database.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the database further includes an optimizer and wherein the at least one setting is provided by the optimizer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the database further includes an optimizer and wherein the data collecting is performed using the optimizer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the collecting further includes:

collecting the data as a background process.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

returning the data to an authorized user; and

allowing the authorized user to commit at least a portion of the at least one setting.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

analyzing the data to provide at least one recommended setting.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

providing the at least one recommended setting to an authorized user.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one configuration derivative includes a plurality of configuration derivatives and wherein the method further includes:

performing a comparison of the plurality of configuration derivatives based on the data; and

allowing a user to implement one of the plurality of configuration derivatives based on the comparison.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one setting further includes at least one index and wherein the collecting further includes:

determining whether the at least one index is used.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the index determining further includes:

determining a number of times the at least one index is used.

13. A computer-readable medium containing a program for evaluating at least one setting for a database system the program including instructions for:

providing at least one configuration derivative including the at least one setting without committing the configuration derivative;

running the database system for a period of time and using a committed configuration including a plurality of settings for the database system; and

collecting data on performance of the database system based on the at least one configuration derivative during the running of the database system.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the at least one configuration derivative providing instructions further include instructions for:

providing at least one materialized query table for the database system using the at least one setting.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the collecting data instructions further include instructions for:

determining whether the materialized query table is utilized during the running of the database.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the database further includes an optimizer and wherein the at least one setting is provided by the optimizer.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the database further includes an optimizer and wherein the data collecting is performed using the optimizer.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the collecting instructions further include instructions for:

collecting the data as a background process.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the program further includes instructions for:

returning the data to an authorized user; and

allowing the authorized user to commit at least a portion of the at least one setting.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the program further includes instructions for:

analyzing the data to provide at least one recommended setting.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the program further includes instructions for:

providing the at least one recommended setting to an authorized user.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the at least one configuration derivative includes a plurality of configuration derivatives and wherein the program further includes instructions for:

performing a comparison of the plurality of configuration derivatives based on the data; and

allowing a user to implement one of the plurality of configuration derivatives based on the comparison.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the at least one setting further includes at least one index and wherein the collecting instructions further include instructions for:

determining whether the at least one index is used.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the index determining instructions further include instructions for:

determining a number of times the at least one index is used.

25. A system for evaluating at least one setting for a database system, system comprising:

at least one configuration derivative including the at least one setting without committing the configuration derivative; and

a run-time simulator for collecting data on performance of the database system based on the at least one configuration derivative during running of the database system using a committed configuration.

26. The system of claim 25 the at least one configuration derivative further includes:

at least one materialized query table based on the at least one setting.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the run-time simulator further determines whether the materialized query table is utilized during the running of the database.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein the run-time simulator is an optimizer.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein the run-time simulator collects the data as a background process.

30. The system of claim 25 wherein the run-time simulator further analyzes the data to provide at least one recommended setting.