SQL Server Distributed Replay

Can be a security risk to sensitive information

Only uses Windows Authentication

Only supports the SQL Server Native Client ODBC data access provider

It was introduced in SQL 2012

Allows us to assess SQL, OS and hardware upgrades

Allows us to do Performance tuning or troubleshooting

DRU can run in 2 modes—Synchronization or Stress mode

Distributed Replay administration tool: A console application, DReplay.exe, used to communicate with the distributed replay controller. Use the administration tool to control the distributed replay.

Distributed Replay controller: A computer running the Windows service named SQL Server Distributed Replay controller. The Distributed Replay controller orchestrates the actions of the distributed replay clients. There can only be one controller instance in each Distributed Replay environment.

Distributed Replay clients: One or more computers (physical or virtual) running the Windows service named SQL Server Distributed Replay client. The Distributed Replay clients work together to simulate workloads against an instance of SQL Server. There can be one or more clients in each Distributed Replay environment.

Target server: An instance of SQL Server that the Distributed Replay clients can use to replay trace data. We recommend that the

The Distributed Replay administration tool, controller, and client can be installed on different computers or the same computer. There can be only one instance of the Distributed Replay controller or client service that is running on the same computer.

It is not limited to replaying a Workload on one machine

Better simulate mission critical workloads

Use Distribution Replay for application compatibility testing, performance testing, or capacity planning.

Provides better scalability than profiler as DRU is scalable up to 16 clients

The Microsoft SQL Server Distributed Replay feature can use multiple computers to replay trace data and simulate a mission-critical workload. Use Distributed Replay for application compatibility testing, performance testing, or capacity planning.

You want to use the conventional replay mechanism on a single computer. In particular, you need line-by-line debugging capabilities, such as the Step, Run to Cursor, and Toggle Breakpoint commands.

You want to replay an Analysis Services trace.

You want to evaluate application compatibility. For example, you want to test SQL Server and operating system upgrade scenarios, hardware upgrades, or index tuning.

The concurrency in the captured trace is so high that a single replay client cannot sufficiently simulate it.