Database Connection Pool Analyzer for IBM WebSphere Application Server

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Update: August 5, 2008

What is Database Connection Pool Analyzer for IBM WebSphere Application Server?

This tool employs a heuristic analysis engine to help you resolve problems related to Java™ Database Connectivity (JDBC) connection pools and find JDBC connection leaks.

JDBC is used by applications written in Java to define how a client accesses database resources. JDBC connection pooling enables one to improve the response time of any given application that requires connections, especially Web-based applications. For example, when a user makes a request to a resource over the Web, the resource accesses a data source. The total datastore overhead quickly rises when used in Web-based applications, resulting in performance deterioration. However, when connection pooling capabilities are used, Web applications are less affected. Performance improvements of up to 20 times can be made.

With connection pooling, most user requests do not incur the overhead of creating a new connection because the data source can locate and use an existing connection from the pool of connections. When the request is satisfied and the response is returned to the user, the resource returns the connection to the connection pool for reuse. The overhead of a disconnection is avoided. Each user request incurs a fraction of the cost for connecting or disconnecting. After the initial resources are used to produce the connections in the pool, additional overhead is insignificant because the existing connections are reused.

For example, if a JDBC connection pool is deployed incorrectly and JDBC connections are not released after use, applications may suffer hangs, resource starvation, and other connection problems. Database Connection Pool Analyzer for IBM WebSphere® Application Server helps you analyze JDBC connection pool leaks and resolve JDBC connection pool-related problems, particularly when using WebSphere Application Server.

How does it work?

The tool analyzes JDBC connection pool manager traces and provides the following functions:

• analysis of JDBC data source
• analysis of JDBC connection pool configuration
• JDBC connection chart view
• Java stack trace view of getConnection method

The tool performs the following:

• parses trace files for JDBC connection pool manager
• detects available JDBC data sources and configurations
• counts the number of waiters of connections and number of connections
• finds Java stack traces associated with JDBC connection leaks
• provides charts of JDBC connections for each JDBC data source.