DPA deployment overview

The following sections outline the tasks required to deploy DPA and begin monitoring database instances.

For information about upgrading DPA, see Upgrade DPA.

Options for deploying DPA

DPA offers the following deployment options:

• Self-installed DPA server and repository database

  You can install DPA on a server that runs either Windows or Linux. The DPA server can be on premises or in a private or public cloud. For this deployment option, complete the following tasks:

  • Complete the pre-installation checklist to plan for the installation and prepare your environment.
  • Install DPA on a server running Windows or Linux.
  • Create the repository database, which stores the performance data that DPA collects.

  When you deploy DPA by installing it yourself, you must purchase a license for each monitored database instance.

• Microsoft Azure Marketplace

  SolarWinds provides a pre-built image in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. You can quickly deploy DPA in the Azure Marketplace without having to install it or set up the repository database. The VM contains a DPA server on Windows and a built-in Microsoft SQL Server database instance configured as the DPA repository.

  When you deploy DPA in the Azure Marketplace, you must purchase a license for each monitored database instance.

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace

  Another option for a quick deployment is to launch an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) from the Amazon Marketplace and then create the DPA repository database.

  Licenses are not required for DPA deployments in the AWS Marketplace. The AWS Marketplace Metering Service is used to calculate DPA charges.

Begin monitoring database instances

When you have deployed DPA, complete the following tasks to begin monitoring database instances:

	Register each database instance you want to monitor.
	For self-installed or Azure Marketplace deployments, purchase and allocate licenses. Evaluate how many licenses of each type you need. Purchase licenses from your sales representative, and download them from the Customer Portal. If you have not yet created a SolarWinds account, see Access the Customer Portal to create an account. Allocate licenses to each database instance.
	Begin monitoring database instances. See the DPA Getting Started Guide for a walk-though of performing common tasks in DPA. For example: Investigate an application performance problem Investigate an increase in wait time Investigate a wait time anomaly Create an alert to monitor SQL statement execution time Create a report to track wait types for a single SQL statement