1. Get Started with Performance Tuning
  2. Proactive Database Tuning
  3. Automatic Database Performance Monitoring
  4. Interpretation of Automatic Database Diagnostic Monitor Findings

Interpretation of Automatic Database Diagnostic Monitor Findings

The ADDM analysis results are represented as a set of findings. Each ADDM finding belongs to one of three types:

  • Problem

    Findings that describe the root cause of a database performance issue

  • Symptom

    Findings that contain information that often leads to one or more problem findings

  • Information

    Findings that are used to report areas of the system that do not have a performance impact

Each problem finding is quantified with an estimate of the portion of DB time that resulted from the performance problem.

When a specific problem has multiple causes, ADDM may report multiple findings. In this case, the impacts of these multiple findings can contain the same portion of DB time. Because performance problems can overlap, summing the impacts of the reported findings can yield a number higher than 100% of DB time. For example, if a system performs many read I/O operations, ADDM may report a SQL statement responsible for 50% of DB time due to I/O activity as one finding, and an undersized buffer cache responsible for 75% of DB time as another finding.

A problem finding can be associated with a list of recommendations for reducing the impact of a performance problem. Each recommendation has a benefit that is an estimate of the portion of DB time that can be saved if the recommendation is implemented. When multiple recommendations are associated with an ADDM finding, the recommendations may contain alternatives for solving the same problem. In this case, the sum of the benefits may be higher than the impact of the finding. You do not need to apply all the recommendations to solve the same problem.

Recommendations are composed of actions and rationales. You must apply all the actions of a recommendation to gain its estimated benefit. The rationales explain why the set of actions are recommended, and provide additional information for implementing them. An ADDM action may present multiple solutions. If this is the case, then choose the easiest solution to implement.