Scribd
Upload
71 views7 pages

What Is Average Active Session Aka AAS - DBA Paradise

The document discusses Average Active Sessions (AAS), an important database performance metric. AAS is calculated as the total Database Time divided by the total Clock Time. Database Time refers to the time spent executing database calls, while Clock Time refers to the total observed time. The document provides an example to illustrate the difference between Database Time and Clock Time. It then explains how AAS can be used along with the number of CPUs to evaluate database performance issues.

Uploaded by

kruemeL1969
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
71 views7 pages

What Is Average Active Session Aka AAS - DBA Paradise

The document discusses Average Active Sessions (AAS), an important database performance metric. AAS is calculated as the total Database Time divided by the total Clock Time. Database Time refers to the time spent executing database calls, while Clock Time refers to the total observed time. The document provides an example to illustrate the difference between Database Time and Clock Time. It then explains how AAS can be used along with the number of CPUs to evaluate database performance issues.

Uploaded by

kruemeL1969
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 7

DBA PARADISE

The place where DBAs grow

HOME DATABASE MY COURSES PERSONAL GROWTH ABOUT CONTACT

What Is Average Active Session aka AAS?


March 17, 2019 Off  By DIANAROBETE

Are you familiar with AAS aka Average Active Session Metric? If not, don’t worry
you are not the only one.
There are lots of good articles and slides on AAS, if you know to look for it.
What do you think of when you hear Average Active Sessions?
When I hear Average Active Sessions in the database, I would think about the
actual number of sessions, you know, the users connected to the database and
doing work.
But to be honest, this metric is not related totally to the number of connected
users to the database. This metric is actually a great measuring stick for the
performance in the database.
Before we dive in to understand this metric, we need to understand what the DB
Time metric is, and what is the difference between DB Time and the actual
Elapsed Time or Clock Time.
At any given time, there are users connected to the database, each of them
performing some work, a query, an update…a report. Some sessions might be
idle, some might be waiting on resources, some might be actively doing work. The
sessions are using resources: CPU, I/O.
To make it clear, DB Time is not the same as Elapsed Time or Clock Time.
Oracle defines Database Time as the total time spent by foreground sessions
executing database calls.
To better understand this concept, let’s look at a very simplified example.
Lets say that there are 3 sessions in the database that are actively working.
The first session completes its work in 2 minutes.
The second session completes its work in 5 minutes.
The third session completes its work in 3 minutes.

Throughout this exercise, we are observing the database for a duration of 5


minutes.
In the above example, the Database Time is the total (sum) time spent by all three
sessions 2+5+3=10 minutes.

The Clock Time is 5 minutes, since we observed the database for 5 minutes.
Do you see the difference between the DB Time and Clock/Elapsed Time?
In this example DB Time is greater than Clock Time. But it could be the other way
around as well. If there was only one user connected and doing work for 2
minutes, the Database Time would be only 2 minutes.
And the Clock Time would still be 5 minutes, if I observed the database that long.
The Average Active Session is calculated as the DB Time divided by the Clock
Time or Elapsed Time.
AAS=DBTime/ClockTime
In the example above the AAS=10/5=2
This is great information, but how does it help me?
There is one more piece of information that you need to know: how many CPUs
are on the server where your database runs!
Once you figure out these two measures, AAS and number of CPUs, check the
guideline below for measuring performance.
If AAS ~ 0 then the database is idle.
If AAS < 1 the database is fine
If AAS << # of CPUs the database is fine
If AAS ~ # of CPUs there might be performance problems
If AAS > # of CPUs there is definitely a performance problem.
You probably have more questions such as how do you determine the value of DB
Time, AAS, # of CPUs … where can you find the information…
Tune in next week to get more questions answered!
If you enjoyed this article, and would like to learn more about databases, please
sign up below, and you will receive
The Ultimate 3 Step Guide To Find The Root Cause Of The Slow Running SQL!

Start Solving Database


Performance ChallengesToday

 Don't know where to start when fighting SQL Performance


Challenges? Enter your e-mail below for FREE access to
my Ultimate 3 Step Performance Troubleshooting Guide.

Name: Your Name

Email: Your Best Email Address

YES! Sign Me Up!

We respect your email privacy

Powered by AWeber Email Marketing

Category Database Oracle Oracle

Tags AAS Average Active Session Oracle

6 Comments
Nelate says:
March 18, 2019 at 9:18 pm

“There is one more piece of information that you need to know: how many CPUs
are on the server where your database runs”
Is it the number of CPUs on the server or the number of CPUs assigned to the
database i.e. CPU_COUNT?
So if I look at my enterprise manager on top activity and blue if going beyond the
red line it is bad?

dianarobete says:
July 17, 2019 at 10:35 pm

going beyond the red line is bad.

Shaik Arsalan says:


March 20, 2019 at 7:11 pm

Really nice simple and clear article.

dianarobete says:
April 18, 2019 at 9:12 pm

Thank you
yaseen says:
March 27, 2019 at 7:14 am

Good writing as always .


kindly make the content font color more dark or bold style to improve the reading
quality . This i requested before as well.
thanks and keep doing the good job !!!!

dianarobete says:
April 18, 2019 at 9:12 pm

Hi Yaseen, the font has been changed and increased in size. Thank you for
the feedback!

Comments are closed.

Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Balanced Blog

You might also like