Dell Software Reinforces Commitment to SQL Server

Dell Software announced enhancements that demonstrate its commitment to the SQL Server database market, including the release of Spotlight on SQL Server Enterprise 11.0.

The new solutions, which will be on display at PASS Summit, the conference for SQL Server professionals, build on Dell’s 18-year legacy of providing database tools to monitor, manage, protect, and improve the performance of SQL Server environments.

Dell Software’s set of end-to-end SQL Server solutions enables customers to get the most from their database investments. Along with Spotlight on SQL Server Enterprise 11.0, newly upgraded solutions include Foglight for SQL Server 5.7, Toad for SQL Server 6.5, LiteSpeed for SQL Server 8.0r/, and SharePlex 8.6.

Spotlight on SQL Server Enterprise 11.0, a SQL Server database monitoring tool, continues to break new ground when it comes to providing customers with the ultimate in flexibility to suit their specific usage needs.

• Building on the Wait Stat analysis workflow, Spotlight 11 introduces a multi-dimensional workload analysis to provide maximum insight into performance issues.     
• The release also features a mobile capability that allows SQL Server DBAs to remotely diagnose issues directly from their mobile phones. Spotlight mobile is implemented as a native mobile app (IOS, Android and Windows Mobile), delivering the user experience customers have come to expect from mobile apps.      
• In addition, version 11 features a new SCOM management pack, enabling SCOM users to leverage Spotlight on SQL Server for SQL Server monitoring and diagnostic needs.

Foglight for SQL Server 5.7, for real-time and historical database performance monitoring of both virtualized and non-virtualized databases, introduces the new SQL Performance Investigator that provides fast, accurate and detailed SQL workload analytics within its flexible deep dive monitoring platform. It can monitor thousands of instances within a single download-and-go installation, while offering deep dive operational and workload data collection and retention.

Designed to help ease workload of the DBA, additional new features include:

• Multi-Dimensional Data Cube for fast workload analytics, with historical session data that allows for navigation through performance metrics and ability to gather more granular metric data
• Lock analysis to show who is locking a table and causing degradation for other users. Forensic level analysis shows both real-time and historical data to determine who is holding the lock, what object is being locked, and for how long, and provides the ability end the locker’s session
• Change Tracking to track changes to database configuration, objects, execution plan and system configuration to quickly see the impact changes have on database performance

Dell Software’s line of Toad data and data management solutions has been updated to support the latest versions of SQL Server 2014 Enterprise and Express. Toad solutions support SQL Server databases running on Amazon EC, as well as other Microsoft platforms including SQL Server Analysis Services, SQL Azure, Azure data market, Azure table services and SharePoint.

• Toad for SQL Server 6.5 now also integrates with Spotlight Essentials to deliver system health checks and performance analytics to DBAs and developers.

LiteSpeed for SQL Server 8.0, the latest release of Dell Software’s SQL Server backup and recovery solution, offers new features, including:

• A new cloud backup option to Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service), allowing customers to bypass local disk and backup and restore directly to the cloud from either on-premises SQL Servers, or those running on Amazon EC2. Data is fully encrypted for transport, and optionally encrypted on S3. LiteSpeed also supports the S3 GovCloud, for use by U.S. government agencies and customers
• An updated user interface, a new multi-database restore feature, and full support for SQL Server 2014

Lastly, planned for later this year, the release of version 8.6 of SharePlex, a database replication and near real-time integration solution, increases Dell’s expanding footprint of heterogeneous database support. The updated solution enables IT staff to offload reporting, migrate data, and provide immediate data integration services from Oracle databases to SQL Server for better business insight.

• The new release brings the number of certified target platforms for replication support to eight, including: Oracle, SQL Server, Hadoop, SAP ASE, ODBC, JMS, SQL flat files, and XML files.

Leading way in solutions for SQL Server
Dell’s collective expertise and the breadth and depth of its SQL Server solutions span the entire IT infrastructure, from hardware to software and services. Dell is one of the largest resellers of SQL Server licenses, and a worldwide SQL Server deployment partner. Recipient of six 2014 Microsoft Partner of the Year awards, Dell has 17 Microsoft-certified Masters on-staff, more than 20 advanced Microsoft competencies, and more than 38,000 SQL Server databases managed worldwide.

Availability
The latest releases of Spotlight on SQL Server Enterprise, Foglight for SQL Server, Toad for SQL Server, and LiteSpeed for SQL Server are available. The new release of SharePlex will be available later this year. All solutions are available both direct from Dell and through the channel.

Matt Wolken, VP and GM, information management, Dell Software, said: “The complexity and continuing growth of data are driving the need for better management of leading databases, and SQL Server continues to play a critical role in the IT management ecosystem. With our collective expertise, and the breadth and depth of our SQL Server solutions spanning the entire IT infrastructure, Dell remains committed to leading the way in the development of solutions that assist organizations worldwide to manage, monitor and protect SQL Server environments.”