Free Tools for the Data Platform Professional

One thing people don’t take enough advantage of is tools, especially free tools.  There’s not much reason, or justification, for building out your own tools, when there’s a free one that is a click away.  Below is a list of free tools, with some resources about using them.  Feel free to use and share this list – if I’m missing something good, let me know in the comments.

Storage Validation/Tools

• SQLIO
  • SQLIO Batch
  • SQLIO Disk Subsystem Benchmark Tool: Troubleshooting Hangs and Errors 
• SQLIOSim utility
  • SQLIOSIMParser
  • SQLIOSim Parser by Jens Suessmeyer & Yours Truly
  • Understanding SQLIOSIM Output
  • How It Works: SQLIOSim – Running Average, Target Duration, Discarded Buffers
  • SQLIOSim is “NOT” an I/O Performance Tuning Tool
• Iometer

Monitoring/Troubleshooting

Auditing and compliance

• Enterprise Policy Management Framework

• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Assessment Configuration Pack for Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX)

Best Practices Analyzer

• SQL Server 2000 Best Practices Analyzer

• SQL Server 2005 Best Practices Analyzer

• SQL Server 2008 R2 Best Practices Analyzer

• SQL Server 2012 Best Practices Analyzer

   

SQL Server Load Testing Tools

• TPCCBench
• HammerDB
• DVD Store

other Tools

• Notepad++