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Benchmark Factory for Database 8.3 - Release Notes

Known Issues

The following is a list of issues known to exist at the time of this release.

Feature Known Issue Defect ID
Capture and Replay Oracle workload: Capturing using the trace file method is not available and is disabled when connected to an Oracle 12c pluggable database (PDB).

N/A

Capture and Replay

Oracle workload: In Benchmark Factory 7.2 or later, if you attempt to use Oracle capture files created in an earlier version of Benchmark Factory (6.9.3 or earlier) and .NET Framework 2.0 is not installed, Windows may prompt you to install it (for example, in Windows 8 or later).

Workaround: Install .NET Framework 2.0 (3.5).

N/A

Capture and Replay Oracle workload: Capturing using the trace file method is not available and is disabled when connected to an Oracle RAC system.

N/A

Capture and Replay

Issue: If you start a trace file capture using the current version of Benchmark Factory and then start another trace file capture using version 7.2 (or earlier) on the same database, the earlier version of Benchmark Factory cannot detect the current version performing a capture. This can result in an invalid capture.

Solution: For best results, do not perform trace file captures using both the current and an earlier version of Benchmark Factory concurrently on the same database.

N/A

Capture and Replay

SQL Server workload: After capturing activity from a user logged-in using Windows authentication, attempting to replay the capture using the ODBC profile results in the following error:

"Could not obtain information about Windows NT group/user '<group/user>', error code 0x5."

Workaround: Use a domain account to start SQL Server service and make sure the account can connect to the Active Directory of Domain.

N/A

Capture and Replay

Oracle workload: In an Oracle capture and replay, Benchmark Factory cannot generate the Statspack report if the local replay directory is mapped to drive "B." This is because Benchmark Factory must have drive B open to execute a background .bat file during oracle capture and replay.

Workaround: Do not map your local replay directory to drive "B" when running an Oracle capture and replay in which you chose to generate the Statspack report.

109221

Capture and Replay In an Oracle 12c container database (CDB), Benchmark Factory cannot replay an existing workload that was captured in an earlier version of an Oracle database. In an Oracle 12c container database, a user name (common user) is prefixed with "c##" by default.

N/A

Capture and Replay

Oracle Capture Using FGAC: When performing an Oracle Capture using the FGAC method, if the application has a trigger with a multi-schema select, additional transactions will be recorded. N/A

Connections -

Teradata ODBC

When creating or modifying a Teradata ODBC connection, if the Teradata DSN has incorrect connection information and you click Test Connection in the Connection dialog , Benchmark Factory might close unexpectedly. BMF-1497

Connections -

Transaction Wizard and IBM CLI Driver

 

When using the 64-bit version of Benchmark Factory, the Transaction Wizard stops working when using the IBM DB2 CLI Driver profile to connect the database which created objects using the ODBC Driver.

N/A

Connections -

Microsoft Oracle ODBC Driver

When using Microsoft’s Oracle ODBC driver for either testing or for Benchmark Factory repository access, there is an issue with the ODBC driver. It does not work with CLOB data. N/A

Connections -

Oracle ODBC driver

When using the Oracle 11g R2 Client and Oracle 32-bit ODBC driver in a Windows 64-bit environment, the Oracle 32-bit ODBC driver requires an 8-byte int data type.

Workaround: Use the Oracle native client or Oracle 32-bit ODBC driver.

N/A

Connections -

SQL Server DB-Library (Obsolete) Connection

If you run a benchmark test using a Microsoft SQL Server DB-Library (Obsolete) connection to SQL Server 2014, and you have the "Recreate objects and reload data every execution" option selected, you might encounter the following error:

"DB-Library Message - Insert bulk is not supported over this access protocol"

Workaround: Use the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC driver or SQL Server native connection.

N/A

Connections -

SQL Server DB-Library (Obsolete) Connection

Attempting to run a benchmark test using a Microsoft SQL Server DB-Library (Obsolete) connection to SQL Server 2014 results in an error.

Workaround: Use the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC driver or SQL Server native connection.

N/A

Connections -

IBM DB2 CLI Driver

A profile created with a DB2 ODBC data source may crash Benchmark Factory if the IBM DB2 client catalog becomes broken/corrupted.

N/A

Connections -

IBM DB2 CLI Driver

Attempting to connect using an IBM DB2 CLI ODBC connection from Benchmark Factory running as a limited user (not Administrator) could result in the following error: "[IBM][CLI Driver]SQL1031N the database directory cannot be found on the indicated file system."

Workaround: Run Benchmark Factory as Administrator.

N/A

Connections

In Windows 10, if you open a New Connection dialog, create an SAP data source and then attempt to create a SQL Server data source, Benchmark Factory might close unexpectedly.

BMF-555

General -

Benchmark Factory Console

Benchmark Factory does not support data types that are created by the user. N/A
Industry Standard Benchmark Testing

Background: This issue applies to benchmark testing using a SQL Server or SAP native connection when the Refresh data retention option is selected in the Test Options tab.

Issue Description: In a test where the connection is lost while tables are loading, if you reconnect and attempt to rerun the job, Benchmark Factory might error with the following messages: “The Expected Total rows are not the same as the Actual Total rows,” or “a duplicate key was found” (when creating an index). The test is then canceled due to errors.

Resolution: Recreate and run a new job against your selected database using the native connection.

N/A

Industry Standard Benchmark Testing

If testing against a database other than Oracle, SQL Server, DB2, SAP, or MySQL, and using the Object/Data Retention option Refresh data using backup sets, backup sets might not be created resulting in a canceled test.

114266

Benchmark Test - Scalable Hardware Test

Attempting to use a native connection to run a Scalable Hardware benchmark test in which the objects were created using an ODBC connection and the objects are not recreated will result in a failed test with errors. The reverse is also true.

Solution: When running a Scalable Hardware test using a native connection and objects were created using an ODBC connection (or vice versa) always recreate the objects.

N/A

Installation

(uninstall)

Beginning with release 7.1.1 in Windows 7 or later, if you have multiple editions of Benchmark Factory installed side-by-side (e.g., a Beta and a Commercial edition), and then uninstall one edition, you might encounter the following error when attempting to run a job:

" This object does not represent an OLE control"

Workaround: Do one of the following:

  • Open the Benchmark Factory application directory for the edition that is displaying the error. Then right-click the Benchmark Factory executable (BFactory.exe) and select Run As Administrator.
  • Or run the installer in Repair mode. To do this, right-click the .msi installer used to install the edition that is displaying the error and select Repair.

ST115773

Integration with other Toad products

Applies in Toad for Oracle suites (12.5 or later): When the database connection or the SQL statement contains Chinese characters, attempting to send SQL from SQL Optimizer for Oracle to Benchmark Factory results in an error. This issue only occurs when Spotlight on Oracle is launched prior to the other applications mentioned here.

Workaround: Always launch Benchmark Factory and SQL Optimizer for Oracle prior to launching Spotlight on Oracle if sending SQL from SQL Optimizer to Benchmark Factory.

N/A

Licensing

License keys compatible with Benchmark Factory 5.8.1 (or earlier) are no longer supported. See Product Licensing for instructions on how to upgrade an earlier-version license key.

N/A
Licensing If your current Benchmark Factory license key is a 21-digit format (x-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx) and you want to use the 64-Bit installation, you will need to request a new license key. Please obtain the new key before installing the new release. To obtain a new key, please refer to the Licensing Assistance page on our support portal: https://support.quest.com/licensing-assistance. N/A
Oracle Database Privileges In Oracle 12c, the RESOURCE role no longer includes the UNLIMITED TABLESPACE system privilege. Therefore, Benchmark Factory users with the RESOURCE role must also be granted the UNLIMITED TABLESPACE privilege.

N/A

Repository

In a new installation (not an upgrade) of Benchmark Factory 7.2 or later, a Standard (Limited) user may encounter a Repository error when attempting to launch the application. The issue involves the SQLite database that is used as the default database in a new installation of Benchmark Factory 7.2 or later.

Workaround: Do one of the following:

  • Run Benchmark Factory using an Administrator account.
  • In the directory containing the SQLite database file, grant Write permission to all users. This directory is located in the following location in Windows 7: C:\ProgramData\Quest Software\BMF\Repository.

BMF-202

Repository If you created a Data Source Name for the BMF MySQL ODBC Driver in a previous release (6.9.3 or 7.0), attempting to edit this DSN results in an error.

N/A


Third Party Known Issues

Third-Party Known Issues

Feature Known Issue Defect ID

Connections -

Oracle

If you have multiple Oracle clients installed, after connecting using one Oracle home, attempting another connection using a different Oracle home results in an error.

Workaround: Close and then re-open Benchmark Factory.

N/A

Connections - SAP

When creating a new SAP connection, if you partially define an SAP ASE ODBC DSN, then click "Cancel," and then switch to the Native tab of the New Connection dialog (or select a different connection type), Benchmark Factory quits unexpectedly. This is a known issue with the SAP ASE ODBC driver.

To create a native SAP connection, use the Native tab of the New Connection dialog. To create an SAP ODBC connection, finish defining the SAP ODBC DSN in the ODBC tab of the New Connection dialog.

N/A

Connections - MySQL ODBC

On Windows Server 2012 R2, attempting to run a TPC-C, TPC-D, or TPC-H benchmark test using the MySQL ODBC connection could cause Benchmark Factory to unexpectedly close. There is a known issue with the MySQL 8.0 ODBC driver on a Windows Server 2012 R2 system in which the latest updates are not installed.

Workaround: Ensure the latest Windows Server 2012 R2 updates are installed, or use MySQL ODBC driver version 5.3.

N/A


System Requirements

Before installing Benchmark, ensure your system meets the following minimum hardware and software requirements:

Requirement Details
Repository

Benchmark Factory cannot run without a repository, and during installation a SQLite file-based repository is installed. After installation, you can select a repository of your choice. Benchmark Factory supports the following databases:

  • Oracle®
  • SQL Server®
  • MySQL
  • SQLite
  • SAP SQL Anywhere® (Adaptive Server® Anywhere)
Memory

512 MB of RAM recommended

Note: The memory required may vary based on the following:

  • Applications that are running on your system.
  • Size and complexity of the database.
  • Amount of database activity.
  • Number of concurrent users accessing the database.
Platform 1.0 GHz x86 or x64 compatible CPU
Browser Requirements Benchmark Factory requires Internet Explorer® 9 or later.
Hard Disk Space 120 MB of disk space for installation Note: The disk space required may vary based on options selected for installation.
Operating System

Microsoft® Windows Server® 2008 R2 Service Pack 1

Microsoft Windows® 7 Service Pack 1

Microsoft Windows 8

Microsoft Windows 8.1 (Update)

Microsoft Windows Server 2012

Microsoft Windows Server 2016

Microsoft Windows 10

Microsoft Windows Server 2019

.NET Framework

.NET Framework 2.0 is required to use Oracle workloads captured using Benchmark Factory 6.9.3 or earlier.

Additional Software

The Universal C Runtime component for Windows is required. See Universal C Runtime Update or Visual C++ Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015 to download this software.

Note: If you encounter an error when installing this software, install the missing prerequisite software. For Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2, install the April 2014 update: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2919355. For other operating systems, see the Universal C Runtime Update Prerequisites section.

Database Server

Oracle®: 10g R2, 11g, 12c, and 18c

  • Requires Oracle 10g R2 or later client libraries
  • Benchmark Factory has been tested on Oracle Exadata 2.0 running Oracle database 11g R2

Note: Oracle Capture/Replay of workloads does not support Oracle databases earlier than 9i.

PostgreSQL 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, and 10, and EnterpriseDB Postgres 10

SQL Server®: 2005, 2008, 2008 R2, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2017

  • Benchmark Factory has been tested against SQL Server 2017 running on Windows or Linux.

Note: Beginning with Benchmark Factory 8.1, a SQL Server client is no longer distributed along with Benchmark Factory. To create a SQL Server native connection, ensure a SQL Server client is installed.

SQL Azure™: Benchmark Factory provides limited support of SQL Azure.

SAP® ASE: 15.5, 15.7, 16

IBM® DB2® for LUW: 9.x through 10.x, 11.1

IBM® DB2® for z/OS: 9.x through 10.x, 11.1

MySQL: 5.5 and later

Note: The 32-bit version of Benchmark Factory requires the 32-bit versions of the client libraries (including ODBC drivers). The 64-bit version requires 64-bit client libraries.

ODBC Database Server Benchmark Factory supports almost all databases that you can connect to using an ODBC 3.0 or later driver.
Benchmark Factory Agent for Linux - Requirements

Supported Operating Systems: CentOS 7.x (64-bit), RHEL 7.x (64-bit), and Oracle Linux 7.x (64-bit)

Supported Databases for Load Testing: PostgreSQL, Oracle, and MySQL

Note: If using the Benchmark Factory Agent for Linux to test against an Oracle database, ensure an Oracle Client is installed on the same Linux machine as the Agent.

Cloud Database Service Oracle Database as a Service

Virtualization Support

Before installing Benchmark Factory, review the following for virtualization support:

Requirement Details
Application Virtualization

Benchmark Factory has been tested with the following:

  • Citrix XenApp 6.5

Product Licensing

Product Licensing

To activate a trial license

  1. In the Licensing dialog, enter your license (Authorization) key.
  2. Enter the site message included with the license key.

To activate a purchased commercial license

  1. In the Licensing dialog, enter your license (Authorization) key.
  2. Enter the site message included with the license key.

Earlier-Version License Keys

License keys compatible with Benchmark Factory 5.8.1 and earlier versions are no longer supported.

To upgrade your license key

  1. In your current version of Benchmark Factory, go to Help | Licensing to find your license number . If not explicitly listed, it may be included as part of the Site Message associated with your key.

    Example: ACCOUNTNAME-nnn-nnn-nnn

  2. Then go to the License Key Upgrade page at: http://license.quest.com/upgrade.

  3. Enter your e-mail address and your existing license number, and follow the prompts.

If you need help finding your license number or an upgrade key, please contact the License Administration team at: https://support.quest.com/licensing-assistance.


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