application performance Archives

Winsage

April 18, 2025

Microsoft makes Windows 11 24H2 more secure but not how you’d think

Microsoft is deprecating support for Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) enclaves in Windows 11 23H2 and earlier versions as it transitions users to Windows 11 24H2, which retains support for VBS enclaves. Windows 11 24H2 enhances security and is essential for developers to ensure their applications function correctly and securely. Windows 11 23H2 will reach the end of its support lifecycle on November 11, 2025, after which Microsoft will stop providing security updates. Users are encouraged to upgrade to Windows 11 24H2 to maintain access to security features and receive updates.

Winsage

April 2, 2025

This simple upgrade is making old computers feel new again

Many users experience issues with sluggish laptops and frozen screens, prompting a reconsideration of their devices. Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10, making it a good time to upgrade to Windows 11, specifically the Pro version, which is currently priced at .97, down from .99. Windows 11 Pro offers faster startup times, enhanced battery life, improved application performance, a redesigned user interface, productivity features like snap layouts and widgets, and an AI-powered assistant called Copilot. The Pro version also includes remote desktop access, BitLocker device encryption for security, and advanced features like Azure AD, Hyper-V, and Windows Sandbox. There are fewer than 75 licenses remaining at the promotional price.

Winsage

March 19, 2025

Windows 11 could eventually help you understand how fast your PC is – as well as offer tips for making your PC or laptop faster for free

Microsoft is developing a new FAQ feature for Windows 11 to help users understand their PC's specifications and performance. This feature, currently in testing, can be found under Settings > System > About in specific builds and provides tailored information based on the user's hardware. It offers insights on how integrated graphics versus dedicated GPUs affect performance and how limited RAM impacts application performance. The feature is still hidden and not activated for general testing, and its inclusion in the final version of Windows 11 is not guaranteed. The FAQ may be enhanced with artificial intelligence in the future for a better user experience.

Tech Optimizer

February 22, 2025

How Mindbody improved query latency and optimized costs using Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL Optimized Reads

Mindbody utilizes a cloud-based platform for the fitness and wellness industry, offering services such as client booking, scheduling, payments, marketing, and analytics. Their email marketing platform is built on an Aurora PostgreSQL cluster, currently at version 13.8, with a size of approximately 17 TB and a workload distribution of 80% reads and 20% writes. Mindbody faced scaling and performance challenges due to architectural limitations and increasing data demands, leading to all workloads being directed to the writer node. The average BufferCacheHitRatio was below 80%, indicating frequent disk access rather than cache hits, contributing to higher query latencies and I/O costs. To address these issues, Mindbody adopted Aurora Optimized Reads, which enhances caching capacity and improves latency and throughput for I/O-intensive workloads. Transitioning required upgrading the database cluster to version 14.9 or higher, and extensive testing was conducted in a proof-of-concept environment. The upgrade process involved a blue/green deployment strategy to minimize production disruption. After implementing Aurora Optimized Reads, Mindbody experienced significant performance improvements, including a 50% reduction in average daily CPU utilization and a 90% reduction in ReadIOPS. The AuroraOptimizedReadsCacheHitRatio indicated that 85% of read requests were served from the optimized cache. Cost analysis revealed a 23% reduction in monthly Aurora costs post-transition, with potential for further savings by downsizing instances.

Tech Optimizer

February 13, 2025

Gen Digital Planning to Sell $1.1 Billion of Senior Notes Due 2033

Gen Digital Inc. specializes in developing and marketing a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity software solutions, categorized into two primary families: Consumer Security and Antivirus Protection Solutions (64.5% of net sales) and Identity and Information Protection Solutions (35.5% of net sales). The company's net sales distribution is as follows: Americas (65.4%), Europe/Middle East/Africa (24.1%), and Asia/Pacific (10.5%).

Tech Optimizer

December 12, 2024

Quest Software Accelerates PostgreSQL Adoption with New Monitoring and Migration Solutions

Quest Software has introduced two updates to enhance PostgreSQL adoption: 1. Foglight® with the Performance Investigator for PostgreSQL add-on, which provides database observability and advanced workload analysis to improve performance monitoring. 2. SharePlex®, a data replication and migration tool that now supports synchronization among PostgreSQL 17.0, Oracle 23ai, MariaDB 11.4.2, Google AlloyDB, and Google AlloyDB Omni, facilitating smooth data migrations and real-time synchronization. These solutions aim to optimize PostgreSQL performance, reduce migration risks, and support organizations in leveraging modern database platforms effectively.

Tech Optimizer

December 11, 2024

EDB Brings Cloud Agility and Observability to Hybrid Environments with Sovereign Control

EnterpriseDB (EDB) has introduced advancements to its EDB Postgres® AI platform, enabling enterprises to implement secure, adaptable AI-driven applications within a sovereign, hybrid framework. The platform offers a unified interface for transactional, analytical, and AI workloads, facilitating quicker AI project development. A recent EDB study found that over 56% of organizations are deploying mission-critical workloads in a hybrid model. The EDB Postgres AI platform features a Hybrid Control Plane for centralized management and automation, enhancing application performance and database health monitoring. The AI Accelerator allows enterprises to test and deploy generative AI applications within the Postgres environment, automating the data pipeline. The Analytics Accelerator improves high-performance analytics and offers near real-time OLAP capabilities. PostgreSQL version 17 is now available across EDB products, supporting various deployment environments. EDB serves over 1,500 customers globally, providing high availability and compliance controls.

Tech Optimizer

December 10, 2024

How Firmex used AWS SCT and AWS DMS to move 65,000 on-premises Microsoft SQL Server databases to an Amazon Aurora PostgreSQL cluster

Firmex is a provider of Virtual Data Rooms, opening over 20,000 new rooms annually and focusing on security and availability for clients during due diligence processes. The company previously managed around 65,000 databases across four Microsoft SQL Servers but faced challenges related to database limits, backups, and licensing terms. In 2020, engineers recognized they were nearing the maximum database limit and shifted from a database-based isolation model to a schema-based isolation approach using PostgreSQL. This transition involved collaboration with AWS to utilize Aurora PostgreSQL-Compatible Edition, which offered better performance and cost-effectiveness. The migration process required extensive work, including converting stored procedures and addressing data migration challenges such as endpoint and task limits with AWS DMS. Firmex's engineers developed custom tooling to manage the migration effectively, ensuring minimal downtime for customers. Post-migration, they have seen improved performance and reduced operating costs, with ongoing efforts to optimize their PostgreSQL utilization further.

Winsage

November 5, 2024

Exploring eBPF for Windows: Opportunities and Limitations

The extended Berkeley Packet Filter (eBPF) allows for the execution of custom code in kernel space, enhancing application performance management and security. Windows has introduced support for eBPF, but it has limitations. Microsoft began a project in 2021 to enable eBPF capabilities on Windows, allowing the use of existing Linux eBPF tools and libraries. To install eBPF on Windows, a kernel debugger or test-signing mode is required, which is impractical for production systems. eBPF for Windows is still in development, suitable for experimentation, but not yet ready for real-world deployment. There is no clear timeline for a production-ready version, and development activity has slowed.

Tech Optimizer

September 19, 2024

YugabyteDB Evolves PostgreSQL to a Distributed Architecture for Modern, Cloud-Native Applications

Yugabyte has enhanced its database, YugabyteDB, to improve PostgreSQL's capabilities for modern applications, introducing features that increase Postgres compatibility. This addresses PostgreSQL's challenges in resilience and scalability for enterprise applications. YugabyteDB maintains PostgreSQL's familiar experience while integrating a distributed architecture, ensuring compatibility with transactional semantics and other features. Key innovations include an Adaptive Cost-Based Optimizer (CBO) for high-scale applications and Smart Data Distribution for improved performance and scalability. The App Century Challenge invites the community to migrate 100 popular Postgres applications to YugabyteDB. Key results show that over 92% of PostgreSQL query patterns perform comparably on YugabyteDB, and the Adaptive CBO achieves optimal query plans in 93% of tests. Smart Data Distribution supports over 50,000 database objects, enhancing scalability. Experts will present these features at the Distributed SQL Summit on November 12.