BMC Introduces Industry's First SQL Tuning Simulator

Expanding upon its intelligent database performance management solutions for Oracle, BMC Software Inc, a leading provider of enterprise systems management solutions, announced the industry's first non-intrusive SQL Tuning Solution with the introduction of "Virtual Instance" in PATROL SQL-Explorer for Oracle. The Company also introduced Space Expert for Oracle - a Web-based space analysis and reorganization product that maximizes database performance. Both products include patented and patent- pending technology, offering customers features that are unmatched by anyone else in the industry.

With the introduction of PATROL SQL-Explorer, featuring the Virtual Instance, BMC Software becomes the first vendor to offer customers non-intrusive SQL analysis. Now customers can tune SQL against production environments during their busiest times, as this is when most problems occur. Using a simulator allows the tuning process to avoid impacting the production database applications.

Space Expert works with BMC Software's family of database administration products allowing DBAs to easily access the functionality of BMC's expert DBA tools in a common user interface. In addition to its robust database reorganization capability, Space Expert provides intelligent automation to the process by identifying and prioritizing the objects needing reorganization to avoid unnecessary downtime.

"We have been very pleased using BMC Software's PATROL DB-Reorg now for the past several years, and based on our early evaluation of the new Space Expert for Oracle product, we believe it has great potential," said Bernie Balliard, database administrator for Open Database Services for Highmark.

"It is nice to be able to go out and quickly see where actual and potential problems exist and then fix them. Also, we use the current Reorg product for more than fixing space issues. The tool, when combined with dynamic SQL scripts, can be used to easily make changes to the storage parameters of several objects at one time. The Space Expert product has the option of using the same command line interface and this should allow us to continue to use our current procedures, too."

The announcements of both PATROL SQL-Explorer featuring Virtual Instance and Space Expert for Oracle further support BMC Software's drive to provide the highest caliber performance management solutions that maximize the performance and availability of distributed databases.

"BMC Software's performance solutions provide intelligent, proactive database management to ensure our customers' distributed databases operate at maximum availability and peak performance," said Doug Pushard, general manager of Distributed Data Management for BMC Software. "SQL-Explorer offers an industry first and exemplifies our leadership in using advanced technology to provide a superior, intelligent SQL tuning solution. Space Expert provides intelligent space management and manages databases by only performing maintenance jobs when needed."

PATROL SQL-Explorer

PATROL SQL-Explorer for Oracle improves application performance without impacting the production environment during the tuning process. The non-intrusive SQL analysis enables DBAs to simulate the execution of a query as if it were on the production system to determine performance and the amount of time required for completion. PATROL SQL-Explorer's Virtual Instance and expert knowledge base enhances DBAs' productivity by reducing the time required to tune SQL. Reduced downtime from poorly performing SQL is now easily achieved via the tuning recommendations. To further minimize the overhead of analyzing a problematic query in production, PATROL SQL-Explorer also offers a High-Speed Data Collector. This non-intrusive collector captures SQL as it is being executed without querying the database, and saves it to a repository for later analysis.

Primary features of PATROL SQL-Explorer include:

• Virtual Instance: simulates SQL execution to aide in tuning; allows user to simulate the execution of a query without actually having to execute it against production
• High-Speed Data Collector: uses a non-intrusive data collector for capturing SQL; saves SQL as it is being executed to a repository for later analysis
• Index Advisor: Using intelligence, advises on indexing needed for tables based on SQL execution
• Analyzes and tunes SQL at the application level: Can group code into applications and analyze code together

Space Expert Space Expert provides database administrators (DBAs) with the ability to fix space management problems, not just address the symptoms. Space Expert recommends space management changes to improve performance and maximize disk utilization, while reducing the need for future reorganizations.

DBAs dealing with large databases frequently need help identifying which Oracle objects to reorganize, including tables, indexes and tablespaces.

Without help, they often end up reorganizing many objects unnecessarily or they do not perform reorganizations at all. Space Expert offers intelligent space management for Oracle environments and delivers intelligence and automation to help DBAs select, prioritize and execute the most important maintenance tasks while eliminating errors and wasted effort. Space Expert proactively prevents outages by predicting failure points and taking action to prevent such failures from occurring. It recommends to the DBA when a reorganization of the database is needed. Primary features of Space Expert include:

• Supports multiple modes of operation, depending on space and performance needs
• Selects and prioritizes all objects requiring reorganizations in a graphical "problem map"
• Provides unique ability to diagnose and correct or reduce row migration problems
• Integrates with BMC Software's Web DBA, providing a complete and seamless DBA toolbox
• Proprietary Analyze capability gathers needed statistics at a fraction of the cost of Oracle's standard Analyze

PATROL SQL-Explorer and Space Expert are part of BMC Software's Distributed Data Management Solutions, which support multiple database platforms, and deliver automation through tightly integrated, intelligent database management tools. Pricing for both products begins at $8,500 each, per departmental server. Both products will be released for Oracle in May, with availability for other database platforms later this year.

Learning Universe Join BMC Software for a global gathering of information technology managers and technical staff from around the world at its annual global user conference, Learning Universe, June 3 - 7, 2001 at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort and Convention Center in Florida. Show attendees will gain valuable insight on attaining end-to-end service level management.

Additionally, members of the media will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with BMC Software's senior executives. To register today, see updates and get a full description of the sessions and curriculum for Learning Universe 2001, visit www.bmc.com/learninguniverse or call 1-800-254-1420.

About BMC Software

BMC Software Inc, is a leading provider of enterprise systems management solutions that assure business availability - maintaining and optimizing business-critical systems with automated infrastructure management and unique service management capabilities. BMC Software is a Forbes 500 company and a member of the S&P 500, with fiscal year 2001 revenues exceeding $1.5 billion and offices worldwide. For more information, please visit BMC Software's Web site at www.bmc.com.