PM Ora Software, the database administration software development arm of networking specialist PM Tech, has announced an MS SQL version of its best-selling, Web-based, database remote monitoring tool.
Focus SQL is based on the same technology that has made the South African-developed PM Ora Professional (now called Focus Oracle) for Oracle a global success among Oracle database communities over the past three years, said Mike Leeuwen, a director PM Tech. "It`s very much a user-driven development," he said at the launch of Focus SQL in Johannesburg.
"Our large Oracle customers said they also needed a similar database monitoring and management facility for their SQL databases. One South African corporate, for example, while having its mission-critical databases on Oracle technology, also supported 72 SQL databases."
Another factor driving the development is the increasing trend to base mission critical databases on SQL and the resultant rapidly growing demand for such management tools.
Focus SQL has been designed to allow database administrators, both internal and outsourced database service providers, to manage MS SQL database environments remotely over the Web. It enables them to resolve potential problems proactively and so prevent system degradation.
It has been written by DBAs for DBAs and is designed help maximise the DBA`s time, allowing focus to be made on more important issues such as planning, development and expansion.
Focus SQL also offers management rapid access to true and up-to-date information in easily understandable and user-friendly formats such as graphs and reports. This allows companies to easily manage their databases whether they are mission-critical or operational environments.
"While there are a few competitive products in the SQL field, we have been able to steal a march on the market by being the first company to deliver a Web-based solution that can monitor SQL databases from any client desktop equipped with a browser.
"What`s more, being a rand-based development, we enjoy a significant price advantage over our US dollar-based competitors," added Leeuwen.
To complement the Focus SQL offering, PM Tech has also developed a Web-based MS Server operating system monitoring solution - Focus Windows and Focus Windows 2000. This tracks server performance remotely so that staff can be alerted of potential problems. Areas monitored include the operating system, MS Exchange, MS Active Directory and MS BackOffice suite.
In the Enterprise Gauge suite - Performance Monitoring and Event Monitoring are included. During Performance Monitoring baselines are created, that enable trend analysis. Event Monitoring ensures problems are reported and resolved before they lead to system failure and downtime. "Together, the products means that both the database and the server can be monitored over the Web from a single station, thereby maximising scarce database and IT skills," said Leeuwen.
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