The Right Tools Makes All the Difference

by Sep 8, 2020

The earliest evidence of the ancient use of tools goes back to about 2.6 million years ago. Basic stone implements were one of the driving forces behind the rise of the human race. The ability to use their intellect to use found objects in constructive ways was one of the differentiating factors between our ancestors and the majority of the animal kingdom. It gave us a huge advantage over any potential competitors.

Tools paved the way for all of the advancements that have led from societies of hunter-gatherers to the interconnected cities of the 21st Century. It’s hard to imagine a world without tools. We all use common tools every day without giving it any thought. When was the last time you went through a day without using a fork, knife, or spoon? Probably back before you had baby teeth.

A shared characteristic of most occupations is a reliance on specialized tools. Over time, these dedicated solutions are often refined and their utility and functionality are improved. This is not always the case, as a professional concert violinist will undoubtedly opt for a Stradivarius over top-of-the-line creations produced by modern violin makers. But in general, as a type of tool matures and gains popularity, it is improved in a quest to attain peak efficiency.

Determining Which Tool is Best

Individuals who take their professions or interests seriously want to use the best tools for the job. They don’t want to risk a subpar performance or outcome resulting from the use of inferior equipment. A tool needs to enhance the activity for which it is used, not hinder it.

The criteria for determining the best tool vary widely depending on the item in question. In some professions, there may be little choice, as standardization has led to widespread adoption of an optimized solution. In other cases, the choices can be overwhelming and lead to confusion and the potential for making incorrect selections.

Consider how these diverse professionals need to select the right tools for them to perform their job.

Professional Golfer – Top-level golfers depend on their clubs to make a living. The only thing that matters is that the clubs selected complement their swing and give them the greatest chance for success. Aspects that might be considered important include:

  • The consistency and feel of the clubs;
  • Distance and accuracy;
  • Compliance with all regulations.

Automotive Repair Person – We all interact with automotive repair people at some point in our lives. Considerations when purchasing tools for the shop consist of:

  • The durability of the tool’s construction;
  • Compatibility with customer vehicles;
  • Functionality and ease-of-use;
  • Cost benefits.

Database Administrator – There are many tasks for which DBAs are responsible and they make use of dedicated software applications to accomplish their goals. Keeping databases well-managed and optimized is enhanced by the use of third-party tools that seamlessly interact with various database platforms. The tools offer features that are not included with the native database but that are extremely important when trying to manage systems and make them more efficient.

Third-party tools are used to provide database teams with the extended functionality that is required to address issues such as system security and performance. The information furnished by these software applications can discover areas of concern that are not easily identified by simple observation.

Some of the critical points that influence the choice of the tool are:

  • Database platform compatibility;
  • Feature set;
  • Interface and ease-of-use;
  • Reliability and customer support.

Reliable database administration tools aid productivity by automating processes and minimizing the manual labor and investigation that DBAs must perform. They are an essential addition that support teams rely on to get the most out of enterprise databases.

However the determination is made, in the end, the most important thing is that the right tool is chosen for the job. The wrong tools lead to balls hit in the rough, lug nuts that fall off, and database queries that slow down the whole system.

Database Optimization Tools

There are a lot of database optimization tools on the market. If you support SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, or IBM Db2, a solution is available that allows you to use the same unified interface for all your SQL optimization efforts. IDERA’s DB Optimizer is a versatile and feature-rich application that could be just what you are looking for in an SQL tuning solution.

SQL rewrites are suggested and hint injection is used to find the optimal statement syntax. A Visual SQL Tuning diagram facilitates the optimization of indexes and statements. Analysis displays used, unused, and missing indexes and you can run statements with alternative execution paths to determine which is best. DBAs are provided with automated tuning recommendations that can be put to immediate use to improve performance.

A reference chart that compares the features and functionality of DB Optimizer with some of its competitors is worth a look if you are on the fence about this effective software solution. Interested parties can try the tool for free for 14 days to see what it can do for them. They won’t be disappointed.