How do you present database performance metrics visually?

1 Why visualizing database performance metrics matters

Visualizing database performance metrics can be beneficial in many ways, such as helping to identify and diagnose performance issues and bottlenecks quickly, compare and benchmark different database systems or configurations, and track and measure the impact of changes and improvements. Additionally, it can help to communicate and report your database performance to your managers, clients, or users. Visualization can also simplify complex data, highlight trends and patterns, and make it easier to convey insights and recommendations.

2 How to choose the right type of chart or graph

The type of chart or graph you use to visualize your database performance metrics depends on the data you have and the message you want to convey. For example, line charts can be used to show changes in metrics over time, such as response time, throughput, or availability. Bar charts are useful for comparing metrics across categories, such as servers, databases, or queries. Pie charts can display the relative proportions of metrics, such as resource utilization, error rates, or transaction types. Scatter plots are helpful for illustrating the relationship between two metrics, such as latency and throughput, or CPU and memory usage. Lastly, histograms can show the distribution of metrics, such as query execution time, response time, or workload intensity.

3 How to design effective charts and graphs

Designing effective charts and graphs for your database performance metrics requires following some basic principles. Ensure that your charts and graphs have clear and consistent labels, titles, and legends. Use appropriate scales, axes, and intervals for your data, as well as colors, shapes, and symbols to differentiate and highlight your data points. Annotations, captions, and tooltips can provide additional information or context for your data. Additionally, it is important to avoid clutter, distortion, and misleading representations of your data.

4 How to use dashboards to display multiple charts and graphs

Dashboards are interactive and customizable displays that allow multiple charts and graphs to be shown on a single screen, providing an overview of database performance metrics. They enable users to filter, sort, and drill down into the data to explore and analyze it in different ways. Dashboards can also be updated in real-time or near-real-time. Grafana, Power BI, Tableau, and SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) are some of the tools and platforms available for creating a dashboard for database performance metrics. Additionally, factors such as layout, size, position, alignment, contrast, balance, navigation, interaction, functionality, audience, purpose, and context should all be taken into consideration when designing the dashboard.

5 How to present and share your charts, graphs, and dashboards

Once you have created your charts, graphs, and dashboards, you need to present and share them with your stakeholders. You can do this by embedding them into documents, reports, or presentations, exporting them as images or PDFs, publishing them online or on a cloud service, or sending them via email or other communication channels. Additionally, it's important to explain the main findings and insights from your data, provide context and background for your data, highlight the key takeaways and recommendations from your data, and solicit feedback and questions from your stakeholders.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?