We at DBmarlin are thrilled to share insights into our bi-directional integration with IBM Instana Observability, a collaboration aimed at providing a comprehensive solution for database performance management. Our team has extensive experience with IBM Instana Observability, allowing us to align our objectives seamlessly and create a tool that speaks to the needs of various user groups.

DBmarlin is a modern database observability tool that delves deep into database performance nuances. We focus on observing changes inside and outside the database understanding their impacts on performance. The tool supports many databases, including Oracle, Postgres, SQL Server, MySQL, MariaDB, IBM DB2, and CockroachDB, with functionality in both cloud and self-hosted environments.

Early in our journey, we established a link from DBmarlin to IBM Instana Observability, allowing users to click through and explore related data in both environments. Recently, we have enhanced this functionality, establishing a bi-directional link between the two platforms.

Setting Up Integration from DBmarlin to IBM Instana Observability

To initiate the integration, navigate to the ‘Settings’ menu, proceed to ‘Integrations,’ and input the IBM Instana Observability host address and API key. Once configured, performance issues within DBmarlin will display an option to explore corresponding data in IBM Instana Observability. For example, when analyzing a MySQL database slowdown due to a locking problem, users can click through to IBM Instana Observability to view the application’s perspective, noting the impact on service calls and latency.

Setting Up Integration from IBM Instana Observability to DBmarlin

The reverse integration requires a browser plugin, available on the Chrome Web Store and compatible with all Chromium-based browsers. Users need to input the DBmarlin service URL to enable the backlink. In IBM Instana Observability, when investigating a slow SQL query within a trace, the plugin introduces a ‘Find SQL in DBmarlin’ button. Clicking this button takes users to DBmarlin’s SQL search screen, offering insights into the query’s performance and highlighting any related locking issues.

The integration between DBmarlin and IBM Instana Observability offers end-to-end observability, from the end-user experience to the database performance. Our toolset ensures that teams across various roles, from SREs and DevOps engineers to developers and performance engineers, have the insights they need to optimize application performance. Stay tuned for more updates and resources to enhance your experience with DBmarlin and IBM Instana Observability.

Get Started

For current IBM Instana Observability customers, we are excited to offer one free premium license for DBmarlin. This promotion allows monitoring of a database of your choice.