Cloud SQL Performance Assurance via Virtual Database Copying

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods fail to effectively test and forecast the performance of SQL statements in development environments, leading to unexpected behavior in production environments due to lack of reliable testing tools that emulate production-level conditions, making it difficult to meet performance requirements and optimize system communication.

Innovation Solution

A cloud-based SQL performance assurance system that creates a remote, emulated test environment to estimate execution time and optimize SQL performance by using a formula that multiplies development cost and time by a derived factor, allowing for real-time troubleshooting and tuning of queries before deployment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If developers use smaller emulated databases in development environment, then testing cost is reduced, but performance prediction accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedatabase sizeVSAvoidperformance prediction accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a virtual copy of the production database environment that replicates its structure, statistics, and workload characteristics. This virtual environment allows developers to test SQL queries against a faithful representation of the production system without requiring actual production data volumes, thus maintaining measurement precision while reducing resource requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts parameters such as data volume, query workload, and hardware configuration in the virtual environment to match production conditions. By changing these parameters to reflect real production scenarios, the system achieves accurate performance prediction without needing physical copies of production databases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If developers test SQL performance in production environment, then performance measurement accuracy is improved, but system reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperformance measurement accuracyVSAvoidsystem stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a virtual environment as an intermediary between development and production systems. This intermediary layer allows performance testing to be conducted with production-like accuracy while isolating the production system from testing activities, thus maintaining both measurement precision and system stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of testing directly on production systems, the patent creates virtual copies that replicate production behavior. These copies enable accurate performance measurement without risking production system stability, as any testing issues occur in the isolated virtual environment rather than affecting actual production operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Loss of time

If developers optimize SQL queries without accurate forecasting tools, then development time is reduced, but productivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevelopment timeVSAvoidquery performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables developers to perform preliminary performance testing and optimization in the virtual environment before deploying queries to production. By conducting forecasting and tuning activities in advance using production-like conditions, developers avoid costly rework and ensure optimal query performance is achieved during the development phase rather than after deployment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2572294B1System and method for SQL performance assurance services
Publication Date: 2021.04.07 TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES LTD
  • EP2572294B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2572294B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2572294B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a field of evaluating the performance of a Structure Query Language (SQL) in information system. In particular, the invention proposes system and method of integration of a tool in Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) which assures performance of SQL by estimating an execution time and remote installation of the same in a cloud based testing services. So, it can be used to detect the queries which may not perform well in the production environment.