New Java and Database Performance Optimizers Detect, Fix, and Prevent Performance Problems

New and enhanced applications allow IT to find, analyze, and correct performance

• By James E. Powell
• 04/08/2009

Embarcadero Technologies has released a set of optimization tools -- some new, some updated -- that help enterprises detect, fix, and prevent a range of software errors that impair performance, availability, or scalability of your software systems. The tools include J Optimizer 2009 (a new application for profiling and optimizing Java), DB Optimizer 1.5 (for profiling and tuning of SQL), and Performance Center (which automates database monitoring).

J Optimizier and DB Optimizer help IT profile and fine-tune Java and SQL code (respectively), detecting code issues before moving an application or database query into production. The tools also help IT diagnose and fix performance issues occurring in production systems so that IT can improve application and database performance.

“The key issue is: How do you prevent poor-quality or poor-performing code from reaching production?” Greg Nerpouni, senior product manager of developer solutions at Embarcadero told Enterprise Strategies. “Clearly it’s more costly to fix a problem that gets into production. The goal is prevention, of course, so you don’t have these problems, but we know that in reality this code does get into production, so we have to address all phases of the project lifecycle.”

Performance Center, another Embarcadero tool, monitors production database systems; it identifies problems that affect performance and scalability so that service levels are achieved.

J Optimizer

J Optimizer, a Java profiling and error-checking tool, uses Optimizeit technology as well as the development teams acquired from Borland Software last year. With J Optimizer, Java developers can identify, isolate, and solve performance problems when developing Java and Java EE applications and profile memory and CPU usage, see real-time threading data, and learn which lines code are executed.

Key features of J Optimizer include:

• A memory and CPU profiler that finds memory leaks, inefficient temporary-storage issues, CPU bottlenecks, and unit-test performance regressions %%A thread debugger displays in real-time the progress of all threads executing in the Java Virtual Machine (JVM)

• A request analyzer to profile the performance of Java EE application code across common Java EE components such as JDBC, RMI, JSP, JNDI, Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs), JMS, and Web-service protocol containers

• Code audits and metrics to evaluate code quality, review, and dependency issues %%Support for multiple platforms,including BEA WebLogic Application Server, IBM WebSphere, JBoss, Oracle Application Server, Apache Geronimo, Apache Tomcat, and Sun GlassFish

DB Optimizer

DB Optimizer 1.5 updates the company’s SQL profiling and tuning IDE. It gives DBAs and developers the ability to “discover, diagnose, and optimize poor-performing SQL,” according to the company.

New features include:

• Continuous profiling can monitor a data source within a user-specified time period configurable span of time

• Batch tuning of DML statements, stored routines, or entire SQL files %%Help users understand how SQL will be executed and the associated performance costs

• a SQL editor with real-time “quick fixes” that flags and corrects inefficient SQL

• Complete cross-platform support for profiling and tuning in DB2 for LUW, Oracle, SQL Server and Sybase

• Full Unicode support

• A command-line API can be used to remotely launch profiling sessions

Performance Center

Performance Center monitors databases, reporting on all database activities, including “memory, I/O, contention, space, network, s, users, and SQL code,” the company says, helping developers and administrators pinpoint performance problems. It provides historical and real-time performance analysis and customizable thresholds, alerts, notifications, and escalation paths.

The "agentless" server-side solution is currently available; an update (version 2.7) will be released this quarter.

Pricing and Availability

More information and prices for each product is available at http://www.embarcadero.com.

“All-Access” Plan

Embarcadero’s recently introduced a new All-Access “toolbox” licensing plan for its complete suite of products, including J Optimizier and DB Optimizer.

With IT and QA budgets under pressure, the company recognizes that large capital equipment and software purchases are being deferred or eliminated. With performance pressures and staff cuts, employees must assume more work and additional applications and database platforms must be integrated, monitored, and managed. However, IT staff find it difficult (if not impossible) to predict what tools they will need, and securing approval and funding when they are needed is difficult.

To address this environment, the company introduced Embarcadero All-Access, a set of licensing options that make available all the company’s products. All-Access can be licensed to a workstation, a user name (no matter where the user accesses the tools), or “network concurrent” (which allows users to check-in/check-out licenses on demand).

The company says the program lowers total cost of ownership by reducing overall licensing costs and time associated with evaluating and acquiring the tools, and reduces administration costs (a single All-Access license unlocks all Embarcadero tools).

More information is available at http://www.embarcadero.com/services/licensing.php.