Trace Data: Not Just For DBAs

On Wednesday, I attended Cary Millsap's Mastering Oracle Trace Data class here in Tampa.

Why?

Why would I go? I am working with OBIEE which is about 42 layers above the database...who cares about trace data? Well, performance is usually the number 1 item on everyone's list. Page loads to slow. Report takes to long to run. Whether it's trying to tune the application server (WLS) or figure out why Report A takes so long to run, we do a lot of performance analysis. In most cases, it ends up being the SQL that is run. What I mean by the SQL is that it's usually bringing back quite a few records. I've seen people try to pull back millions of records and then pivot all that data putting a nice load on the BI Server and hogging all the resources from everyone else.

On occasion though, there are other things that are going on (with the SQL) that we can't pinpoint.

Recently we had to back out a production implementation because one of the load processes seemed to just hang, threatening to slow down a larger process.

I asked the DBAs why.

Crickets.

Shouldn't that be an answer a DBA provides?

Disk? Network? CPU? Memory? Which one?

Crickets. (I didn't ask those exact questions, I think I said, "Reads? Writes? Network? Load?")

That is just one of the reasons I wanted to attend Mr. Millsap's class. That, and I've heard he's well regarded and does a pretty decent job presenting. OK, I admit it, I just want to show the DBA up. There, said it.

I really shouldn't have to though. It's supposed to be a partnership. They don't know much about OBIEE, so I help them there. I expect help in things like this.

Why? Part II

If you are a developer, understanding trace data will make you better. You'll no longer have to guess, you'll know.

Of course there's what I hinted at above, being able to go to your DBA(s) and prove something. No better feeling in the world.

How?

MR Trace is by far the easiest. It's integrated with SQL Developer. It's a great place to start.

MR Tools - For the more advanced professional. Mostly geared towards the DBA type, but incredibly useful to developers as well. It includes:

- mrskew - your trace file profiler and data miner
- mrls: your trace file lister
- mrcallrm: your trace file correction fluid
- mrtrim: your trace file tim calculator
- mrtrimfix: your trace file time value fixer

Method R Profiler:

The classic tool that started it all, the Method R Profiler is software that makes simple work of knowing exactly why your application consumes the response time it does. With minimal training, a Method R Profiler user can—in just minutes—identify the root cause of an Oracle-based application performance problem, propose sensible solutions to it, and predict the end-user response time impact of each proposed solution.

There are of course other products, check them out here.

Ask Mr. Millsap to come to your town. Try out MR Trace. You won't be sorry you did.