Sql-server – Cannot find DReplay.exe for SQL Server 2019

sql serversql-server-2019

I have been working on SQL Server 2019 version and trying to setup a load test environment using SQL Server Distributed Reply Controller – Client, however I cannot find the DReplay.exe. I thought the it will be installed as part of the installation of Distributed Reply Controller, but it didnt. Some articles suggest that it will be installed as part Management Tools from the installation media for SQL Server but the Management Tools option has been removed from the installation option.

There is also no link online to suggest an alternative way to get the DReplay.exe installed. Running out of options now.

As a desperate measure, I did try to copy the the "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\150\Tools\Binn" folder content from an older server where it was installed to the new SQL Server 2019 which did not work, throwing error "Failed to load assembly…."

Any ideas any suggestions please?? Thank you.

Best Answer

After much more googling and even speaking to Microsoft People, I found out that they have very quietly discontinued it partially.

Which means you do get the "Distributed Replay Controller" and "Distributed Replay Client" but there is no cmd utility "Distributed Replay administration tool" available for SQL Server 2019.

After a lot more research I found the tool which is much simpler and easier to use.

WorkLoadTools

  1. It is a very lightweight application, no installation is needed.
  2. Setup takes 5 minutes as compare to quite a few hours for MS Distributed replay
  3. It uses Extended events to capture only the data that is needed for replaying, therefore the trace file size is much smaller.
  4. You can capture events on Production and replay on client in real-time.
  5. You can also capture a trace on Production and replay on client later.
  6. There is reasonable amount of documentation on it as well.
  7. Plus the guy who wrote this beauty, @spaghettidba is very helpful and will respond to your queries and help you to sort out any issues you may face.

Give it a go and you wont be disappointed.

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