Documentation forDatabase Performance Analyzer

DPA 2024.4 release notes

Release date: November 6, 2024

Here's what's new in Database Performance Analyzer 2024.4.

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DPA integrates with the SolarWinds Platform. For information about bug fixes and improvements to the integration module, see the SolarWinds Platform release notes.

New features and improvements in DPA

Last updated: December 13, 2024

Component upgrades

To enhance security, the Tomcat and Open JDK components shipped with DPA have been upgraded to the following versions:

  • Tomcat 9.0.91
  • Open JDK (Windows or Linux): 11.0.24

New database license types

The following new license types are now available:

  • Database Self-Hosted (DBSH) licenses can monitor any supported database type. If a monitored database instance runs on a virtual machine (VM), the DBSH license also collects VM performance metrics.

  • Database Self-Hosted DBaaS (DBSHDS) can monitor database instances running in a DBaaS environment, such as Azure SQL Database.

These license types are subscription only. They were introduced to consolidate existing license types, and to provide flexibility. They can be used with either DPA or SolarWinds SQL Sentry. You can use licenses from the same license key across both products. For example, if you purchase a license key with 10 licenses, you can use 5 of the licenses to monitor instances with DPA, and use the other 5 to monitor instances with SQL Sentry.

Category 1, Category 2, and Azure SQL Database licenses are still available for users with perpetual licenses. However, as the subscription versions of these licenses expire, they will be replaced with the new licenses. DBSH licenses replace Category 1, Category 2, and VM licenses. DBSHDS licenses replace Azure SQL Database licenses. For more information, see Migration from legacy subscription licenses to DBSH and DBSHDS licenses

Table and index advisors for MySQL and Percona database instances

In addition to query advisors, DPA 2024.4 provides the following tuning advisors for MySQL and Percona database instances:

  • Table advisors are generated when a significant number of inefficient queries run against a table. Inefficient queries perform a large number of reads but return a small number of rows.

    Click a table advisor to open the Table Tuning Advisor page, which displays aggregated information about the table, the inefficient queries that ran against it, and any existing indexes.

  • Index advisors identify missing indexes and provide estimates of how much time adding the suggested index could potentially save. You can view details or hide an advisor.

Tuning advisors are not available for MariaDB in this version.

Information about top plans

To identify inefficient queries and analyze indexes, DPA must collect execution plans from MySQL and Percona database instances. Plan information is available in the following places:

  • On the Trends tab, click the Plans tab to see a chart representing the cached plans with the highest wait times. Hover over part of a bar to see details about that plan.

    Click a plan hash in the legend to display the plan text. This helps you identify costly operations like sequential scans.

  • The Query Detail page displays wait times for plans associated with the selected query. As on the Trends tab, you can click a plan hash in the legend to display the plan text.

  • The Table Tuning Advisor page shows any inefficient steps in the plans for the inefficient queries that ran against the table. To display the plan text, click View plan details. For details and possible solutions, click the icon.

  • The following reports are now available for MySQL and Percona database instances.

    • Top Plans
    • Top Plans for single SQL
    • Top SQLs for single Plan

Support for using the caching_sha2_password authentication plugin for MySQL monitored instances and MySQL repositories

DPA supports the use of the caching_sha2_password authentication plugin for authenticating the monitoring user on monitored MySQL instances, and for authenticating the repository user on MySQL repository databases. The caching_sha2_password authentication plugin implements SHA-256 hashing for user account passwords.

When a MySQL instance is registered for monitoring or a MySQL repository is set up in DPA 2024.4 or later, DPA now uses the MySQL driver (instead of the MariaDB driver) to connect the instance. The MariaDB driver does not support the caching_sha2_password authentication plugin.

MySQL monitored instances or MySQL repositories that were added in earlier versions still use the MariaDB driver after an upgrade. You can update them to use the MySQL driver.

The following sections describe other changes implemented to support this development.

Changes to registration for MySQL or MariaDB instances

In previous versions the same registration process was used for MySQL, Percona, and MariaDB. DPA now has one registration process for MySQL and Percona and a separate registration process for MariaDB.

  • In the registration wizard under Database instance type, there are separate entries for MySQL or Percona and MariaDB.

  • In the Database Type column of the mass registration template, enter MySQL to register a MySQL or Percona instance, or enter MariaDB to register a MariaDB instance.

  • In the REST API, specify MySQL to register a MySQL or Percona instance, or specify MariaDB to register a MariaDB instance.

Database type on the DPA home page

In the Type column on the DPA home page, MySQL and MariaDB are now identified as separate database types.

Changes to alert and advanced option names

Alerts that included MySQL in the name now include MySQL/MariaDB. For example, the alert previously named MySQL Table Freespace alert is now named MySQL/MariaDB Table Freespace.

Advanced options that included MYSQL in the name now include MYSQL_OR_MARIADB. For example, the advanced option previously named MYSQL_ENABLE_HISTORY_LONG is now named MYSQL_OR_MARIADB_ENABLE_HISTORY_LONG.

Changing an existing MySQL monitored database to use the MySQL Driver

If a MySQL database instance was registered in DPA 2024.3 or earlier, DPA still uses the MariaDB driver to connect it. For MySQL instances that use the MariaDB driver, the Update Connection dialog includes the MySQL Driver option. If you want to use the caching_sha2_password authentication plugin for an existing MySQL monitored instance, update the connection information and select MySQL Driver.

After you select this option and DPA successfully connects with the MySQL JDBC driver, the option is no longer available. You cannot change back to the MariaDB driver.

Changing an existing MySQL repository database to use the MySQL Driver

If a MySQL repository database was configured in DPA 2024.3 or earlier, DPA still uses the MariaDB driver to connect to it. If you want to use the caching_sha2_password authentication plugin for an existing MySQL repository:

  1. Open the following file in a text editor:

    DPA-Install-Dir/iwc/tomcat/ignite_config/idc/repo.properties

  2. Add the following line:

    repo.jdbcDriverName=MySQLDriver

  3. Save the file and restart DPA.

Support for group managed service accounts (gMSAs)

DPA 2024.4 supports using a group managed service account (gMSA) to authenticate the monitoring user for a SQL Server database instance. Using a gMSA strengthens security and streamlines user access management. For information about prerequisites and registration instructions, see Register a SQL Server database instance.

Monitoring Oracle CDBs

DPA 2024.4 and later can monitor Oracle multitenant container databases (CDBs).

Query advisors are available for monitored CDBs, but index and table advisors are not.

Support for MySQL 8.4

DPA can monitor MySQL 8.4 database instances. MySQL 8.4 can also be used as the DPA repository database.

Fixes

Last updated: December 2, 2024

Case number Description
01752563

When DPA is monitoring a PostgreSQL instance, a NumberFormatException that occurs while processing the explain plan no longer causes the plan poll job to fail and does not interrupt monitoring.
N/A

To prevent PostgreSQL monitoring from failing with a database sessions exceeded error, the maxAllowedSessions count in the system.properties file was increased.
01462698

If there are a large number of Multiple Numeric Return custom alerts with a very high frequency defined to run on multiple monitored instances and the Quick Poll identifies many blocking sessions monitored instances, the Quick Poll job no longer fails with the following error message:

Monitor for database [database-name] failed in job [QuickPollJob] due to [An error occurred during the current command (Done status 0). Transaction (Process ID 53) was deadlocked on lock resources with another process and has been chosen as the deadlock victim. Rerun the transaction.]. Will attempt to retry every [60] seconds...

01692652

After enabling the DPA option 'DB2_single_instance', Db2 instances are no longer flooded with INFO level messages.

01762139

PostgreSQL debug logging messages no longer fill the log file quickly, interrupting monitoring.
01734914

Db2 11.5 monitored instances that have multiple databases no longer restart every 10 minutes.

CVEs

Last updated: 11/19/2024

Third Party CVEs

CVE-ID Vulnerability Title Description Severity
CVE-2024-24549 Denial of Service Vulnerability Denial of Service due to improper input validation vulnerability for HTTP/2 requests in Apache Tomcat. When processing an HTTP/2 request, if the request exceeded any of the configured limits for headers, the associated HTTP/2 stream was not reset until after all of the headers had been processed.This issue affects Apache Tomcat: from 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.0-M16, from 10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.18, from 9.0.0-M1 through 9.0.85, from 8.5.0 through 8.5.98. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 11.0.0-M17, 10.1.19, 9.0.86 or 8.5.99 which fix the issue 7.5 High
CVE-2024-23672 Denial of Service Vulnerability Denial of Service via incomplete cleanup vulnerability in Apache Tomcat. It was possible for WebSocket clients to keep WebSocket connections open leading to increased resource consumption.This issue affects Apache Tomcat: from 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.0-M16, from 10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.18, from 9.0.0-M1 through 9.0.85, from 8.5.0 through 8.5.98. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 11.0.0-M17, 10.1.19, 9.0.86 or 8.5.99 which fix the issue. 6.3 Medium

Installation or upgrade

Last updated:

For new installations, you can download the installer from the SolarWinds website or from the Customer Portal. For more information, see the DPA Installation and Upgrade Guide.

For upgrades, use the DPA Installation and Upgrade Guide to help you plan and execute your upgrade. When you are ready, download the upgrade package from the SolarWinds Customer Portal.

Known issues

Last updated:

Custom alerts and custom metrics are not supported on a Db2 server with multiple databases

When you are monitoring a Db2 server with multiple databases, custom alerts and custom metrics do not return data for all databases. Because of a limitation with MON_GET_* functions, custom alerts and custom metrics are supported only for connected databases.

Resolution or Workaround: None.

Mass registration for Azure SQL Database instances

The script to generate the mass registration file for an Azure SQL Database instance has not yet been updated to reflect the changes to mass registration fields. DPA 2024.2 and later cannot use the file created by this script.

Resolution or workaround: Use the wizard or the API to register Azure SQL Database instances.

DPA does not always use the Microsoft JDBC driver by default

When you register a database instance for monitoring, DPA should use the Microsoft JDBC driver by default. However, it uses the jTDS JDBC driver by default if the system.properties file does not contain the following entry:

com.confio.ignite.jdbc.sqlserver.useJtdsDriver=false

This missing configuration is likely to happen on DPA servers where older versions of DPA were initially installed, before DPA began using the Microsoft Driver.

Resolution or Workaround: Open the system.properties file in a text editor, and determine if it contains the entry above. If not, manually add it and save the file.

PostgreSQL OS CPU utilization not showing data on a Windows installation

When PostgreSQL is installed on a server with a Windows operating system, the O/S CPU Utilization resource metric in DPA does not display any data. It displays the message Chart doesn't have data collected for selected time period.

If PostgreSQL OS CPU utilization data is missing in other environments, make sure the system_stats extension is installed. For instructions, see Register a PostgreSQL database instance and prepare for monitoring.

Resolution or Workaround: None.

Importing an alert definition without the associated database assignment rule

In some situations, the log file shows the status of an imported alert definition as both Imported and Failed. This occurs when the alert definition uses a database assignment rule, but the rule was not imported and did not already exist on the server.

The two statuses indicate that the alert definition was imported, but the attempt to associate the database assignment rule failed.

Resolution or Workaround: When you import an alert definition that uses a database assignment rule, either import the rule or ensure that it already exists on the server.

If you imported an alert definition and the associated rule is missing, you must edit the alert definition to specify the database instances. (You can specify instances by manually selecting them or by applying a rule.)

End of life

Last updated:

Version EoL announcement EoE effective date EoL effective date
DPA 2023.2 July 18, 2024 End-of-Life (EoL) announcement - Customers on DPA version 2023.2 or earlier should begin transitioning to the latest version of DPA. October 18, 2024 End-of-Engineering (EoE) - Service releases, bug fixes, workarounds, and service packs for DPA version 2023.2 or earlier will no longer actively be supported by SolarWinds. October 20, 2025 End-of-Life (EoL) - SolarWinds will no longer provide technical support for DPA version 2023.2 or earlier.
DPA 2023.1

April 19, 2024 End-of-Life (EoL) announcement - Customers on DPA version 2023.1 or earlier should begin transitioning to the latest version of DPA.

 May 20, 2024 End-of-Engineering (EoE) - Service releases, bug fixes, workarounds, and service packs for DPA version 2023.1 or earlier will no longer actively be supported by SolarWinds. May 19, 2025 End-of-Life (EoL) - SolarWinds will no longer provide technical support for DPA version 2023.1 or earlier.
DPA 2022.4

January 19, 2024 End-of-Life (EoL) announcement - Customers on DPA version 2022.4 or earlier should begin transitioning to the latest version of DPA.

 May 20, 2024 End-of-Engineering (EoE) - Service releases, bug fixes, workarounds, and service packs for DPA version 2022.3 or earlier will no longer actively be supported by SolarWinds. May 19, 2025 End-of-Life (EoL) - SolarWinds will no longer provide technical support for DPA version 2022.3 or earlier.
DPA 2022.3

November 23, 2023 End-of-Life (EoL) announcement - Customers on DPA version 2022.3 or earlier should begin transitioning to the latest version of DPA.

 April 12, 2024 End-of-Engineering (EoE) - Service releases, bug fixes, workarounds, and service packs for DPA version 2022.3 or earlier will no longer actively be supported by SolarWinds. April 14, 2025 End-of-Life (EoL) - SolarWinds will no longer provide technical support for DPA version 2022.3 or earlier.

See the End of Life Policy for information about SolarWinds product life cycle phases. To see EoL dates for earlier DPA versions, see DPA release history.

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