SEO

Being a GUI centric person and a former user/dba of SQL Server, I relied
on the SQL Server management console to 'admin/monitor' my databases.

When I changed to my current position, Informix was already here and I
needed a way to 'figure it out' since I was not (and still am not) a
true DBA, Informix or otherwise. I primarily wanted to see the data
structure I had to deal with (both tables/views/procedures in database
and data storage on server since I had never heard of raw partitions,
chunks, or dbspaces before Informix) and have been using server studio
installed on my Windows workstation to admin/monitor my Informix servers
running on HPUX (9.21, 9.4, and soon to be 10.0, 7 years total).

I initially used the now defunct windows only version because I wanted
the SPL debugger, but that now use the Java version as it has the
debugging functionality. We have the 'suite' version minus the sentinel
and have been very happy with the product (have used it since version
4.x I believe). If I were to nitpick, there would probably be some
things I would like to see changed (based more on preference than
functionality), but it does everything I NEED it to do and much more
that I haven't yet explored/tried/read the documentation about.

There is a cost to using it beyond it's 'lite' feature set that Art
stated, but for me it has been worth it since I don't have to deal with
dbaccess, onstat, or onmode command lines for 99% of my needs.

I do wish I could trace SQL statements from time to time and did try out
Sentinel during the trial period, but it still didn't give me EVERY
statement that was executed do to its polling times and couldn't justify
the cost of Sentinel to trace the limited items I was looking to use it
for. I can justify the cost of the "Suite" version just from the SPL
debugger alone for my needs.

I have also submitted several bugs (at least to me)/ideas/wishes and
many have made it to the subsequent versions.

Hope that gives you some insight into the product (at least from a
NON-dba that has to be a dba and developer and architect and ...
Guess it says more about Informix than me, but that's a different
thread

Randy



________________________________

From: informix-list-bounces@iiug.org
[mailto:informix-list-bounces@iiug.org] On Behalf Of Art Kagel
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 5:08 PM
To: Campbell, John (GE Money)
Cc: informix-list@iiug.org
Subject: Re: server studio


At Oninit we use Server Studio and Sentinel to monitor nearly
all of our clients' servers. Sentinel collects data for us to review
periodically and notifies the clients' DBAs and our own support people
when unusual conditions appear. The values monitored and alert levels
and responses are fully configurable.

Like any software we run into bugs from time to time and AGS is
very responsive with fixes and upgrades. Over all, though, it just
works. Functionally the products do what they say they will do and
that's pretty much everything one needs them to do to completely monitor
your server and system functioning and performance and to discover and
analyze problems early. Server Studio also includes what you need to
design and maintain your database schema, SQL, and stored procedures
including the only SPL debugger out there. I like the products very
much.

BTW, you received both Server Studio and Sentinel fully
functional versions with your IDS 9.40 installation. All you have to do
is install them and you will have a 30 (or 60? forget) trial of the full
feature set of both tools. At the end of the trial you can pay AGS
their fee for the full feature license, or continue to use Server
Studio's 'lite' feature set for free.

Art S. Kagel
Oninit



On Thu, May 8, 2008 at 3:58 PM, Campbell, John (GE Money)
<John.Campbell2@ge.com> wrote:


We're on Solaris 9, IDS 9.4.FC5. Anyone have any info
about studio and sentinel? I've been on the IBM site and read the
marketing propaganda. Does anyone have any real experience with the
products?

thx
John Campbell


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