When you make modifications to an existing enterprise application that requires software or hardware upgrades, how do you ensure that changes from the test environment will run smoothly in the production environment? If you are using the latest versions of Oracle Database 10g and 11g, you have solved more than half the problem. Oracle Database 11g has added a new feature called Database Replay for real-world testing of system modifications as in production environment.
The Database Replay feature can capture a workload from the production environment and replay it in test environment with similar timing and characteristics as original workload in production. You can check on results, system contention points, regression analysis, and performance impact on test systems without actually making those changes in the production environment.
To read Dr. Arun Kumar R.'s complete column in the latest issue of Database Trends and Applications magazine, go here.