At a glance
| Database engines | Oracle, SQL Server, Azure SQL, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, Db2, SAP HANA, SAP ASE; RDS, Aurora, Cloud SQL |
| Deployment | Self-hosted DPA server on Windows Server or Linux; AWS and Azure marketplace images |
| Collection | Agentless, over TCP connections to the monitored instances |
| Alerting | Built-in alerts, including reworked PostgreSQL alerts in 2026.2 |
| Query monitoring | Per-statement wait-time analysis, advisors and anomaly detection |
| Licensing | Per instance subscription (DBSH, DBSHDS); floating; self-hosted prices by quote |
DPA suits teams that support several commercial and open source engines and want one way to see which queries wait, and on what. It is less focused on SQL Server estate inventory than dedicated SQL Server monitors, and self-hosted pricing comes by quote, but floating per-instance licences make it flexible across mixed estates.
Overview
Database Performance Analyzer (DPA) analyses database response time through wait-time analysis: it records what each SQL statement is waiting on (CPU, I/O, locks and other wait types) and shows the results over time. SolarWinds' documentation lists self-managed Oracle, SQL Server, SAP ASE, Db2, MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, EDB Postgres and SAP HANA, plus Amazon RDS and Aurora, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure Database for PostgreSQL Flexible Server and Google Cloud SQL. DPA 2026.2 (30 June 2026) is the current release.
DPA is self-hosted. The DPA server runs on Windows Server 2022 or 2025 or on x86-64 Linux, and stores its data in a repository on SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, MySQL or Oracle. SolarWinds describes collection as agentless. SolarWinds also sells a SaaS route, Database Observability in SolarWinds Observability, which uses an agent and is priced separately.
Key features
- Wait-time analysis per SQL statement, showing which waits drive response time
- Machine-learning anomaly detection on database wait time
- Tuning advisors for queries and indexes based on activity and wait data
- AI Query Assist (DBSH and DBSHDS licences) for SQL Server, Oracle and, since 2026.2, PostgreSQL and MySQL
- VMware vSphere correlation of database response time with guest and host metrics
- Floating per-instance licences that can be moved between registered instances
Pros and cons
Pros
- One wait-time view across many commercial and open source engines
- Agentless collection with a repository on a database you choose
- Floating licences, shareable with SQL Sentry
- Runs on Linux as well as Windows Server
Cons
- No public prices for the self-hosted product
- Focused on waits and queries rather than full estate inventory such as backups and jobs (editorial)
- Older Windows Server versions (2019 and earlier) are no longer supported for the DPA server
- Several overlapping SolarWinds database products (DPA, SQL Sentry, SolarWinds Observability) complicate the choice
Pricing
DPA is licensed per monitored database instance. Current subscription licences are Database Self-Hosted (DBSH) for any supported engine and DBSHDS for DBaaS targets such as Azure SQL Database; all licences float between registered instances, and DBSH keys can be shared with SQL Sentry. On the AWS Marketplace, usage is metered by AWS instead. SolarWinds does not show self-hosted DPA prices in the page text (quote-based). Its separate SaaS product, SolarWinds Observability, lists Database Observability from USD 70 per database instance per month on multi-year contracts billed annually, charged on a daily high-water mark of active instances. A fully functional 14-day trial is available.
Pricing checked on the vendor's official page on 7 November 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.
Who it is best for
DBA teams supporting a mix of Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL and other engines who want a consistent wait-time view of query performance.
Who should look elsewhere
- SQL Server-only teams wanting deep SQL Server estate features: see SQL Sentry vs SolarWinds DPA.
- Teams that want query data inside an application observability platform: see Datadog vs SolarWinds DPA.
Verdict
DPA is a sound pick for mixed-engine estates where response-time analysis matters more than inventory and estate reporting. Its agentless design and floating licences are practical, but self-hosted pricing is by quote and SolarWinds' overlapping products are worth comparing before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
What does wait-time analysis mean in DPA?
DPA records what each SQL statement spends its time waiting on, such as CPU, disk I/O or locks, and ranks statements by total wait time, so you can see which queries and which waits cause slow response.
Is DPA available as SaaS?
DPA itself is self-hosted, including marketplace images on AWS and Azure. SolarWinds sells a separate SaaS option, Database Observability in SolarWinds Observability, from USD 70 per database instance per month on its pricing page.
Which operating systems can run the DPA server?
For DPA 2026.2, Windows Server 2022 or 2025 (Windows 10 and 11 for evaluation only) or x86-64 Linux with glibc 2.17 or later. ARM is not supported.
Sources
- SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer product page
- Database instances DPA can monitor
- DPA 2026.2 system requirements
- DPA licence types
- DPA 2026.2 release notes
- SolarWinds Observability SaaS pricing
Checked November 2026.
How we research reviews and what star ratings mean: our editorial method.