Database Health Monitor – Beta 8 – Soft launch
Today I launched Database Health Reports Beta 8 as a soft launch. What I mean by the soft launch is that other than updating the DatabaseHealth website and this blog posting, I haven’t done much to promote it. Why you might ask? Due to it being a holiday week between Christmas and New Years, there are many people out of the office. I figured I would wait until after January 1st to make a big splash.
Beta 8 is out. The biggest change is the charting. About 75% of the charts in the system have been completely rewritten. I was using a charting module that didn’t allow for the flexiblity that was needed to make the charts look the way I wanted. In September right after the Beta 7 release I started rewriting the charts from scratch. Between now and the next Beta I will work to get more of the charts converted over to the new look.
Here is an example of some of the newer charts. The red and green bars on the plan cache are used to indicate change. Red indicates that the value was worse, and green indicates that it improved or stayed the same. The CPU by database chart was rewritten to make better use of the available space.
Also shown in the above screen shot is the new Server Configuration panel with details on the specific version of SQL Server, when it was installed, the number of processors and more.
Beta 8 Release Notes
Beta 8 Released 12/29/2013.
The following changes have been made since Beta 7. The big feature in the Beta 8 is the rewrite of many of the charts.
New Features
- Renamed to Database Health Monitor, attempting to avoid confusion with SSRS Reports.
- Additional checks for obsolete or unusual settings (SHRINK_DATABASE, TORN_PAGE_DETECTION).
- Blocking reporting with hierarchical drilldown on the blocking queries.
- Server details panel showing logical and physical cpu counts, SQL Server Start time, SQL Server install data, Server Name, SQL Server version info, and information on real or virtual server.
Bug Fixes
- Multithreading the re-connect of databases, vastly improving the startup time if one or more databases is not available.
- A large amount of the project has been refactored to help mature the product and allow for additional feature growth, and reduce bugs.
- Improved background threading.
- Updates and bug fixes on SQL Technical Debt.
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Love the database health tool. Gives me quick perspective on server loads, and is the best tool I have seen yet for seeing where I need to tweak indexes.
It expired! The current version states “you can continue using the current version”, but then exits!
Even if you wanted a small fee for the beta, I bet you could start charging for it. Any idea when a non-time-bombed copy will be posted?
The new version is now available. check http://DatabaseHealth.com/download for beta 8.2
Since the beginning of the month, the app has been stating that the Beta Version Expired (I’m using version 8.1). When attempting to visit the links in the dialog box, the site always times out.
The dialog states that you can continue to use the program, however, when you click ok, the dialog closes and the app doesn’t run.
Has anyone else experienced this, or am I alone.
This is a great tool and has proven very useful to me, I would love to get a working version again.
Thanks!
Regards,
Joseph
The Database Health tool is really valuable to quickly determine “Who ate the server?” in our dev team. Thanks for all the effort you put into the toolset. Having said that, the Beta 8 expired a few weeks ago and refuses to run (despite saying it can be used anyway, the dialog box closes and the program exits). Could you build a version without the time bomb in it so we can continue to use it in the interim until the next version is ready? Thanks again!
Hi Steve. Beta 8.1 does not work! The error is: “You are using an expired beta version of Datbase Health. You can continue to use this version, but it is suggested that you visit http://databasehealth.stevestedman.com/download to get an updated version with bug fixes and new features.” Then the application closes. Help please!