Database Developers Group, Sid Singer
May
23, 2002
Like the ubiquitous Swiss Army Knife, FMS’ Total SQL Analyzer PRO
contains a multiplicity of tools for the comprehensive analysis and
documentation of SQL Server 7.0 and SQL Server 2000 databases. The
product is organized around the concept of a “job”, which defines the
analyses to be performed. When a job is run the output produced is
termed “job results”. The entire user interface is skillfully designed
around these fundamental constructs of job and job results. Users
manipulate these constructs to readily define jobs as well as view and
print job results. Once defined, jobs may be revised, and/or run
repeatedly, to track the evolution and development of changes in a
database. A job definition is limited to a single server.
The product’s analyses include more than 120 performance
optimizations, configuration and design issues. Objects to be included
in the analyses for a particular job are selected by the user from a
menu tree in defining a job. This menu tree very thoughtfully follows
the same basic structure that is used in SQL Server, so anyone who
already knows SQL Server will be familiar with its contents.
There is an excellent Create New Job Wizard, with very thorough
documentation, which I found effective in guiding me through the process
of defining a job. The object selection process for a new job, gives
some indication of the various objects available for analysis.
There are a number of variations on the selection screen that allow
the user to designate filters to provide for the selection of specific
subsets of these objects.
The results of a job run are documented in more than 80 reports
available through the user interface. The user has the option to view
reports onscreen or print them. With such voluminous output available in
job results it is necessary to provide some disciplined mechanism to
access this information. To accomplish this, reports are organized by
categories, which may also be selected from a menu tree similar to that
shown above. Some of the available report categories, along with a brief
description of each, are:
Databases
Information about scripts, object inventory, database lists and
properties and settings.
Dependencies
Object dependency or cross-reference information, including where
objects are used and objects used by a given object.
Issues
Issues detected by Total SQL Analyzer PRO in the documented objects
Performance
Performance suggestions detected by Total SQL Analyzer PRO in the
objects selected in the job.
Servers
Information about the Microsoft SQL Server object itself, including
server properties and object inventories.
Stored Procedures
Information about stored procedures including properties and TSQL
Tables
Information about tables including properties, columns, triggers, keys
and indexes
I found the detailed listing of scripts for all database objects,
along with issues for each, to be an invaluable documentation guide to
the database design features. Another favorite is the dependencies
report, which illustrates all the relationships among the objects in the
database.
In summary, a very unique and comprehensive, although somewhat
pricey, documentation and analysis tool for SQL Server 7.0 and SQL
Server 2000.
Reviewer Biography:
Sid Singer contributed this review as a member of the Database
Developers Group. He started Singer & Associates in 1983 to assist
clients in using modern information technology as a strategic business
tool. He is an independent consultant, ICCA member, who focuses on
applications development with VB/VBA, Access and SQL Server. You can
contact Sid Singer for consulting support at
singsid@compuserve.com
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