Re: ExplainSQL ?

ExplainSQL is a PC-based tool that greatly simplifies and improves the process of query performance tuning. It was developed by a company called SQL Tools, Inc. and it initially came on the market in late spring/early summer of 1995. In January 1996 SQL Tools sold this product (and maybe the company) to Platinum Technology. If you know anything about Platinum Technology, they have been aggressively searching for and buying the "best of breed" products and/or companies out in the Unix relational database world for the past two years. Platinum puts out tools such as DB-Vision, TS-Reorg, Desktop DBA, and many other related products that for the most part originated at some other company. Platinum was looking to offer a tuning-oriented product such as this, so they ended up persuing and acquiring ExplainSQL. I believe that I recently saw an annoucement in Computerworld about a new product called Plan Analyzer or something to that effect which more than likely is really Platinum's renamed release of ExplainSQL. If you check out the Platinum web page (www.platinum.com), you will probably be able to find out more about this under the news releases or product listing sections.

I would highly recommend taking a look at this product if your job involves query performance tuning. I have used it for about nine months and it is a both a time-saver and eye-opener for what your SQL is really doing. You can test the effects of things such as minor query modifications, rule vs. cost optimizer, or hints in a fraction of the time that it would take you to do it without the tool. Do yourself a favor and contact Platinum and request a demo disk so that you can try it out yourself. With Platinum's support, I expect that this good product will only get better.

A satisfied customer,

Steve Received on Fri Mar 01 1996 - 00:00:00 CET