The current version was released in January 2024., and includes some bugfixes, preventing the benchmark to crash on some servers.

We also have a new result, but it is just to measure the network speed between the client and server (we know that it does not show useful values when using the free benchmark as this version always using localhost as the server network address, but especially for the full version incorporated in the IBExpert IDE, it is very helpful to detect slow network configs to understand why Firebird-based applications run slower than expected. Outdated Router technology, network bridge components etc. are often responsible for poor software speed.

The Net Test executes 2000 inserts to a table with 100 columns and sends all params from client to the server in individual params, so this function will create a few hundred thousand very small TCP IP packages over the network and the total time is measured by how many operations were done within each second.

A good value on fast networks should have around >=400 IOPs. If it is much slower, you should ask your network support to check the speed of components used.

It is not part of the calculated percentage result values, and also the time it takes is not used there, since these result values use minimal network traffic to measure the server speed and not the network speed.

Compare your server's performance to our IFS servers!

How do you measure the performance of your own server or your clients'? Have you ever tried to compare the database speed of your Firebird server with new server hardware? Is a XEON Machine better than an Opteron? What improvements can you expect from fast SAS hard disks, RAID controllers or Enterprise SSDs?

This simple but effective tool gives you a reference benchmark, based on our recommended IFS Servers. Using IBExpert Benchmark you can generate and compare a reproducible speed index for your Firebird Server hardware. On average, our IFS servers with Firebird are 5 to 10 times faster than the server or virtual machines that our customers have previously used.

Benchmark (extended) results using Firebird 4.0 on an IFSML Server

To perform the IBExpert Benchmark at your customers and also take advantage of the extended and XXL benchmarks, you can use either the IBExpert Developer Studio customer version or the IBExpert Day Edition. To perform standard benchmarks locally, you may use our Free IBExpert Benchmark Tool.

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Free IBExpert Benchmark Tool

You can use the IBExpert Benchmark Tool free of charge on any Windows computer. This limited special version allows standard benchmarks to be performed locally and includes Firebird 2.5, 3.0 and 4.0 versions, executed in application mode, so you do not need to install Firebird on the server to be tested.

The Benchmark Tool is quick and easy to use: download it here: https://ibexpert.net/benchmark/setup_benchmark.exe, install it on the drive that you want to test.

Since September 2021 the benchmark now uses the latest Firebird versions 2.5.9 and 3.0.7, and can also use Firebird 4.0.0 with the 32K page size. IBExpert Benchmark 2.0 was released on 17th November 2021.

The Benchmark Tool tests 10 parallel running threads.

Running the benchmark will not overwrite any programs already in use, nor does it install anything, so you can safely run the benchmark on your server. The IBExpert Benchmark Tool does not use an existing Firebird installation and will only test the drive on which it is installed.

Select the Firebird version you wish to use for your benchmark in the left-hand panel: Firebird 2.5 Superserver, Firebird 3.0 Superserver or Firebird 4.0 Superserver. The selection in this free version has been limited so that even users with no Firebird knowledge or experience can easily perform this quick benchmark test.

The right-hand window in this free version is read-only. (In the paid version you can enter any and all of this information, e.g. define your own connection string and client library file).

Start the benchmark by clicking Start Benchmark in the bottom left-hand corner.

Important: you will need to install and run this as Admin.

Note: Should you receive an error message, please download and install the current version.

The benchmark process and results are explained below under How does it work?

If you would like a more flexible version of our Benchmark, which allows you to change various test options, test multiple drives, various Firebird instances or even perform a benchmark on a Linux operating system or remote servers, you should use the following Benchmark, included in all IBExpert customer version IDEs.

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IBExpert Developer Studio Benchmark

This version offers standard, extended and XXL benchmarks, which can be performed on the Firebird 2.5 Superserver, Classic server, Superclassic server or Firebird 3.0 and Firebird 4.0 32- or 64-bit, Windows, Linux etc. either locally or remote. The Benchmark software is implemented as a 32-bit Windows software, but it can connect to any remote Firebird installation.

If you wish to collect the results for comparison with different hard and software combinations, enter a brief description of the configuration to be tested, along with the recipient email address for the statistic report.

Benchmark (extended) results using Firebird 4.0 on an IFSML Server

Then add the required database connection information - you need to set a new path for the newly generated database; if you specify the path of an existing database, you will receive a warning message:

Specify the Firebird client, as well as the user name and password (the standard SYSDBA and masterkey). Finally click Start benchmark to run the benchmark test.

IBExpert now creates the demo database, which always follows the same guidelines. It then executes the INITALL procedure in this database. Following this parallel threads are created, which attempt to input further orders into the database. Following the Drive Test, the CPU Test test then is executed.

The results are displayed in the lower window: the drive and the CPU index are percentage index values comparing to our our IFS Server v. 6.0 series, which we rated at the time at 100%.

If you have specified an email address, you will receive the results by mail, with the heading as specified in the Please add a short description of the Firebird server hard- and software field.

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How does it work?

Based on a demo database, which is created automatically, the standard benchmark, which is also included in the Free IBExpert Benchmark Tool, runs approximately 8 million operations (individual insert/update/delete/select statements) using 10 simultaneous processes in 2 runs on databases created with different parameters to demonstrate the impact of the physical drive speed.

The extended benchmark uses 50 parallel processes (simulating 50 concurrent users) and the XXL benchmark simulates 250 concurrent users with its 250 simultaneous processes.

Drive Test

The Drive Test is simply creating a benchmark database from a script. Within the Drive Test we changed the value of the so-called cache buffers (DefaultDBCachePages in firebird.conf) to 50, the smallest value possible. Then a stored procedure is executed inside the database to generate a lot of test data. In the Drive Test approximately 850,000 operations (i.e. INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, SELECT statements) are carried out. This really measures the speed of the drive, because of the low-level of cache that is being used, is responsible for making a lot of I/O operations on the external drive.

• Create DB - shows the time in seconds that it takes to create the Demo database.
• TMP - Temporary file management that is used when for example, Firebird does not have any indices, which it can use, or it needs to perform some GROUP BY, HAVING or similar instructions.
• Thread test - this is the multi-threaded test. If you have for example a test on this machine, and you have 1 thread or 10 threads running, you will also see this running in the Task Manager. This can result in huge differences on different machines.
• Result - the basic value that is calculated here displays the combined results of the drive test, and we compare this value to a server that was distributed by ourselves around 2010 which had 100% speed. In reality, when you test on typical customer machines, especially in virtual environments, you will often see values of as little as 30%. Typical values are often in the range of 100%-150%.

CPU Test

This category calculates the percentage value for multi-threaded CPU tests with 5000 pages cache result to better see the advantages when using Firebird 3. This means that it no longer needs any operations on the disk. You will see a much faster result. The Thread Test, the multi-threaded line - with this one 10 parallel threads are always executed, which means it generates several thousand new orders inside the Demo database simultaneously. The Threads value here is the most important value, when you later have to check whether the server is really fast. Only this Threads value is recalculated to the Thread Test.

Thread Test

The Thread Test simply we take the CPU Test / Threads value and recalculate it. Thread Test simply means that we take the CPU Test / Threads value and compare it to the original machine. This machine is compared to our original machine as an index value.

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How do your results compare?

Compare your server's performance to our IFS servers! This simple but effective tool gives you a reference benchmark, based on our recommended IFS Servers.

Our servers will show you a typical Firebird 2.5 Superserver performance of at least 200% for the CPU and at least 200% for the HDD Test with our IFS server series), und using Firebird 3.0 at least 230% for the CPU and at least 500% for the HDD Test. Results under 100% indicate an outdated server performance.

Important: This benchmark gives you a value to compare several hardware or software configurations running the Firebird server.

You will notice a huge performance increase, when comparing a Windows environment mit a Linux environment on the same hardware. This is partially due to the Windows NTFS file system, which is standard on Windows.

If, for example, you want to restart the Benchmark, especially on virtual machines, we always recommend executing this Benchmark several times, because sometimes when you execute it again, you can achieve better or worse values. This can happen because other jobs are being executed by the virtual machine host.

If the results are poor, click in the results window. You will be automatically redirected to our homepage. Here you can view our current offers for our really fast IFS Firebird servers.

Changing the server to a more powerful hardware might improve the speed by 100%. Additionally optimizing your software and database operations can often improve the speed by more than 1000%. Ask sales@ibexpert.biz for further support. 

• You are using Firebird-based software
• The benchmark shows that your hardware attains a reasonable speed and yet certain queries in your software take much longer than acceptable
• The server becomes slower and slower, but speeds up again after rebooting
• The time required for certain queries or software reaction time in dialogs varies

The blind alley

It is becoming increasingly difficult to work effectively with the software, but the software provider claims that this is not the fault of his software, but of your hardware, your operating system or your network etc.

Your software manufacturer provides no beneficial support, instead you have to listen to claims that you are the only one who has this problem, all other customers are satisfied.

By now you begin to doubt that the software provider is taking your concerns seriously at all.

The solution

You commission us to take a look behind the scenes, to support you in your discussions with your software provider, and to counter the repetitive excuses with objective reasoning.

With our tools and our experience we examine not only the hardware and operating system in use, but also what the database needs to handle in terms of the application’s SQL queries.

We are often rapidly able to detect SQL commands, which do not use appropriate indices or are poorly formulated.

As the size of the database increases, these effects become more and more severe, and when the data volume doubles, the SQL commands will not just take twice as long to execute, but considerably longer.

An isolated test of a query on the programmer's fast laptop, which may use only part of the database, but does not have to process queries from 20-50 or more other workstations, only helps to pass the buck to you again.

With our help, you can quickly detect whether this query or screen reaction time is at all representative of your issues.

IBExpert Firebird SQL Performance Monitoring together with our support provides a way out of this blind alley in discussions with your software provider.

Improvements

We will show you where bottlenecks occur in your system and how well your hardware/software fits and interacts with your working environment.

We can offer you and/or your software provider concrete advice on what could be improved, in order to achieve optimum performance of your Firebird database systems and software, even with large-scale customer implementations and data volumes.

Whether it is a matter of indices, optimized SQL queries or general tips and tricks, we see ourselves as a moderator between yourself and your software provider.

If, as in almost all cases where we have already successfully implemented monitoring, the software provider is prepared to work with us constructively, then you will often see significant progress already in the next software update.

We also examine your application at network protocol level, because often data is retrieved over the network that is not visible anywhere in the application software. The developer is often not even aware of this problem until we point it out to him with specific examples and offer workarounds to avoid it.

Our services

Let us, as database experts, analyse your database system and propose improvements to optimise performance. You will find that our wealth of experience will certainly offer you new aspects, so that you and your software provider will be in a position to optimize your database system.

Our common goal should be to create an optimal working environment without making poor compromises and seeking solutions, also from your software provider.

We offer our IBExpert Firebird SQL Performance Monitoring for the price of 1,200 Euros: IBExpert Firebird SQL Performance Monitoring.

Following receipt of payment we will arrange a date to start our analysis by remote maintenance and will normally let the monitoring run for 7 days or longer if desired.

You will receive a detailed report by e-mail within 72 hours following the completion of the monitoring.

Our standard offer is valid for Firebird 2.5 and upwards. For older Firebird versions please request an offer from sales@ibexpert.biz. 

Das Szenario

• Sie setzen eine Firebird basierende Software ein
• Der Benchmark zeigt, dass Ihre Hardware eine akzeptable Geschwindigkeit erreicht und trotzdem dauern bestimmte Abfragen in Ihrer Software erheblich länger als man erwarten würde
• Der Server wird immer langsamer und ist aber nach einem Neustart wieder schneller
• Die Zeiten für bestimmte Abfragen oder Maskenaufbau sind unterschiedlich lang

Die Sackgasse

Ein effektives Arbeiten mit der Software wird immer schwieriger, aber der Softwarehersteller behauptet, das liegt nicht an seiner Software, sondern an Ihrer Hardware, an Ihrem Betriebssystem oder an Ihrem Netzwerk etc.

Ihr Softwarehersteller hilft Ihnen nicht und Sie müssen sich immer wieder anhören, dass Sie der einzige sind, der dieses Problem hat, alle anderen Kunden sind glücklich.

Sie zweifeln mittlerweile daran, dass der Softwarehersteller Ihre Einwände überhaupt ernst nimmt.

Die Lösung

Sie beauftragen uns, denn wir schauen hinter die Kulissen, um Ihnen in der Diskussion mit Ihrem Softwarehersteller mit Rat und Tat zur Seite zu stehen, und um die wiederholten Ausreden mit Argumenten außer Kraft zu setzen.

Mit unseren Werkzeugen und unserer Erfahrung prüfen wir neben der von Ihnen eingesetzten Hardware- und Betriebssystem-Kombination auch das, was die Datenbank an SQL-Abfragen der Anwendungsprogramme alles beantworten muss.

Oft erkennen wir sehr schnell SQL-Befehle, die keine passenden Indizes benutzen oder einfach nur in der Abfragesprache nicht sauber formuliert sind.

Mit zunehmender Datenbankgröße werden dann diese Auswirkungen immer heftiger und sämtliche SQL-Befehle werden bei Verdoppelung der Datenmenge oft nicht nur die doppelte Zeit brauchen, sondern wesentlich länger.

Ein isolierter Test einer Abfrage auf dem schnellen Laptop des Programmierers, der möglicherweise auch nur einen Teil der Datenbank dafür benutzt, aber keinesfalls Abfragen von 20-50 oder mehr anderen Arbeitsstationen bearbeiten muss, hilft dabei nur dem Softwarehersteller, Ihnen wieder den schwarzen Peter zuzuschieben.

Ob diese gezeigte Abfrage oder Maske überhaupt Ihr Problem darstellt, werden sie mit unserer Hilfe sehr schnell feststellen.

Das IBExpert Firebird SQL Performance Monitoring liefert Ihnen mit unserer Hilfe bei der Diskussion mit Ihrem Softwarehersteller einen Ausweg aus dieser Sackgasse.

Verbesserungen

Wir werden Ihnen aufzeigen, wo die Engpässe in Ihrem System liegen und wie gut Hard-/Software in Ihre Arbeitsumgebung passen und zusammenspielen.

Benchmark Ergebnisse mit Firebird 3.0
auf einem IFSLR Server

Sie und/oder Ihr Softwarehersteller bekommen von uns konkrete Hinweise, was verbessert werden sollte, um im Zusammenspiel von Firebird Datenbanksystemen mit Ihrer Software auch bei größeren Kundeninstallationen und Datenmengen eine optimale Performance zu erhalten.

Ob es dabei um Indizes geht, bessere SQL-Abfragen oder generelle Tipps und Tricks. Wir sehen uns als Moderator zwischen Ihnen und dem Softwarehersteller.

Wenn der Softwarehersteller, wie in fast allen Fällen, bei denen wir das Monitoring bereits erfolgreich umgesetzt haben, konstruktiv mit uns zusammenarbeitet, dann werden Sie oft bereits im nächsten Release-Update der Software deutliche Fortschritte feststellen.

Wir untersuchen Ihre Applikation auch auf Netzwerkprotokollebene, weil oft Daten bereits über das Netzwerk abgerufen werden, die in der Anwendungssoftware nirgendwo angezeigt werden.

Der Programmierer ist sich dieses Problems oft gar nicht bewusst, bis wir ihn darauf mit konkreten Beispielen hinweisen und Workarounds anbieten, mit denen er das vermeiden kann.

Unsere Dienstleistung

Lassen Sie uns als Datenbankexperten Ihr Datenbanksystem analysieren, um Ihr System für eine optimale Performance zu verbessern. Sie werden sehen, dass unser Erfahrungsschatz sicher auch Ihnen neue Aspekte vermitteln wird, so dass Sie und Ihr Softwarehaus in der Lage sein werden, Ihr Datenbanksystem optimieren zu können.

Unser gemeinsames Ziel soll es sein, eine optimale Arbeitsumgebung zu schaffen, ohne faule Kompromisse und ehrliche Antworten zu finden, auch von Ihrem Softwarehaus.

Wir bieten Ihnen unser IBExpert Firebird SQL Performance Monitoring zum Preis von 1200 Euro. Bestellen Sie per mail an: sales@ibexpert.biz. 

Nach Zahlungseingang starten wird das Monitoring zu einem vereinbarten Termin per Fernwartung und lassen es üblicherweise 7 Tage, oder auf Wunsch auch länger, laufen.

Nach Ende des Monitorings erhalten Sie innerhalb von 72 Stunden einen ausführlichen Bericht per E-Mail.

Unser Standard Angebot ist nur gültig für alle Firebird Versionen ab Firebird 2.5. Für ältere Firebird Versionen fragen Sie bitte unser Angebot an: sales@ibexpert.biz. 

Telephone and/or remote support billed by the minute

Languages spoken: English and German. Including remote support using pcvisit. All questions regarding Firebird, Delphi^®, IBExpert and Lazarus are welcome.

We will schedule a support appointment as soon as possible after receiving your support request and validating your credit. Should you require our support, billing will be in accordance with our general conditions, as described here:

^* We recommend setting up a prepaid hotline customer account with a sufficient credit balance (e.g. 960 minutes) so that we can help you quickly and unbureaucratically in an emergency and you save time and money. Your hotline credit does not expire and can be used as required.
Your hotline customer account will be debited with the exact number of minutes used during a remote or telephone session.

You can find our price list here.

And this is how it works: After activating your hotline customer account in the IBExpert Download Center, you can view your prepaid code, your available hotline minutes and a list of your hotline sessions with start and end times under Hotline Information. You will be connected directly to your contact person via your hotline telephone number, which you will receive by e-mail (no call center!). You should quote the prepaid code when you call.

Our IBExpert and Firebird hotline is available worldwide.

You can find a summary of all IBExpert services and fees under All products & prices. If you have any further questions please mail sales@ibexpert.biz. 

Support per Telefon und/oder Remote mit minutengenauer Abrechnung

Sprachen: Englisch und Deutsch. Inklusive Remote-Support mit pcvisit. Alle Fragen zu Firebird, Delphi^®, IBExpert und Lazarus sind willkommen.

Einen Support-Termin vergeben wir schnellstmöglich nach Eingang Ihrer Supportanfrage und Prüfung Ihres Guthabens. Sollten Sie unsere Unterstützung benötigen, erfolgt die Abrechnung gemäß unserer Rahmenbedingungen, wie hier beschrieben: 

^* Wir empfehlen, ein prepaid Hotline-Kundenkonto mit einem ausreichend hohen Guthaben einzurichten (z.B. 960 Minuten), so können wir Ihnen im Notfall schnell und unbürokratisch helfen und Sie sparen Zeit und Geld. Ihr Guthaben verfällt nicht und kann bei Bedarf abgerufen werden.
Ihr Hotline-Kundenkonto wird mit der genauen Anzahl der verbrauchten Minuten einer Remote- oder Telefon Session belastet.

Unsere Preisliste finden Sie hier.

Und so geht's: Nach Freischaltung Ihres Hotline-Kundenkontos im IBExpert Download Center können Sie unter Hotline Information Ihren Prepaid Code, Ihre verfügbaren Hotline-Minuten und die Auflistung Ihrer Hotline-Sessions mit Start- und Endzeit einsehen. Sie werden über Ihre Hotline-Telefonnummer, die Sie per E-Mail erhalten, direkt mit Ihrem Ansprechpartner verbunden (kein Call Center!). Ihren Prepaid Code teilen Sie Ihrem Ansprechpartner bei Ihrem Anruf mit.

Unsere IBExpert und Firebird Hotline steht Ihnen auch in Ländern außerhalb Deutschlands zur Verfügung.

Eine Übersicht aller IBExpert Dienstleistungen und Gebühren finden Sie unter Alle Produkte & Preise. Wenn Sie weitere Fragen haben, senden Sie bitte eine Mail an sales@ibexpert.biz.