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I’ve been thinking of doing a review of Precise/Indepth for SQL Server.   I just did a Google and found this review by none other than Larkware’s Mike Gunderloy.

Product Review: Precise/Indepth for SQL Server

Precise worked with Microsoft to hook up a new high-speed, low-impact sampling technology to the SQL Server engine. This allows the new product to collect and analyze very detailed performance information in the short term and over time, to identify both immediate problems and long-term issues. The Precise screen can show you which statements are being executed, which ones take the longest to execute, and how tables and other objects are bring used. You can summarize resource consumption by program, user, or type of application for a business-centric rollup view.

I’ll admit, the kinds of statistics you can get from your databases are amazing, if you can keep the application running. We’ve struggled with keeping the software running, had a host of licensing issues and *broken clients.  The supposed gold-mine of data that this software collects is basically rendered useless by a host of technical problems. It’s the classic “Brittle” software application. 

All Brittle Software is Not Created Equal.

So, fine you may think. “Lots of software is brittle, but look what it does for you?”  Well, in my opinion, the big danger with brittle software crops up when it’s software that’s used infrequently.  Since it’s used only occasionally, it’s not a priority for support and maintenance. As more things change in the hosted environment, the software tends to rot in place.  A setting here, a config problem there, pretty soon the software is broken.  Lots of applications need hand holding, and day to day maintenance, and even the most brittle applications can be kept running with constant care. But when an application is rarely used, like Precise/Indepth, it’ll tend to stay in a state of brokenness.

This is what has happened to us here.  We’ve had this software for months, and I think I’ve managed to actually use it a half a dozen times.

“Well, You Just Don’t Know What You’re Doing Then”

This could be true.  But, our IT shop can’t keep this software running, and we manage pretty well otherwise.  Perhaps we’re stretched too thin.  Perhaps we need to hire a Precise/Indepth administrator.  Perhaps we need to hire a Vertias consultants to come in and save the day.

Perhaps this application can work fine within some organizations, but the fact that we can’t work with it here enough for me to say they should be going back to the drawing board with this one.  I’ve got this idea that software should work after it’s installed.  Call me crazy.

At the end of the day, we’re looking for other SQL Monitoring applications.  If you know of any applications for SQL Server performance monitoring, or have similar or opposite experiences with Precise/Indepth feel free to post a comment.

-Brendan

*It appears that they use a VB front end, with some third-party OCX controls that other applications use.. Can you say “DLL Hell?”