Method for analyzing disk performance of large database systems

摘要

The present invention provides a tool with which a database administration (DBA) can analyze a very large database (VLDB 22, 26) at all levels of data storage, both logical and physical, to analyze performance problems. The invention is particularly useful in systems in which database files are striped over multiple disk drives. In the present invention, storage of information is monitored at three levels: database files (42), file system files (48), and individual disk drives (50). Parameters indicating the activity and performance level of each of the levels of storage are taken at selected intervals and stored (45, 58). An analysis tool is provided (52, 130-166) that allows a DBA to select a time window during which the database performance is to be assessed. The analysis tool has a map (60) of the logical and physical arrangement of the database being monitored and allows a DBA to move from level to level of both logical and physical structures involved in storing the data while displaying I/O activity in an easily understood manner.