GE Digital APM supports the use of Oracle schemata and SQL server databases, both of which can be queried using SQL statements. While the same basic SQL code can be used to query either type of database, there are some differences in the syntax that is supported by each database server. Therefore, GE Digital APM uses a proprietary version of SQL that is constructed automatically and translated at runtime by the system into the SQL syntax that is appropriate for the type of database you are using. We call this form of SQL Meta-SQL.
In most cases, Meta-SQL syntax is the same as standard SQL syntax. This means that in most cases, you can type the SQL syntax that you are familiar with. If, however, you use functions that are specific to one database server (e.g., Oracle), when you run the query on a different database server (e.g., SQL Server), an error appears, and you will be unable to run the query and view its results until you correct the SQL code.
In other words, when you type SQL code directly and select
- GE Digital APM reads the syntax and determines whether or not it is valid Meta-SQL.
- GE Digital APM translates the Meta-SQL into SQL that can be interpreted by SQL Server or Oracle, depending on the type of database you are using.
- SQL Server or Oracle executes that translated code and returns results to GE Digital APM.
- The query results appear.
Throughout the GE Digital APM documentation, we use the term SQL when referring to the SQL code that appears when you select SQL in the content header.
All tasks that you can perform when designing a query write Meta-SQL code that can be viewed when you select the SQL tab. Not all SQL code that you enter directly, however, can be interpreted by the Design workspace. This means that in some cases, you can write SQL code that will cause the Design workspace to be unavailable. If you write a query using SQL code and want other users to be able to modify the query design, first try to access the Design workspace to make sure that it is available before saving the query.
Specific instructions for writing SQL code are beyond the scope of this documentation. Where appropriate, we provide guidelines and suggestions for how to write SQL expressions and use SQL functions, but this documentation does not contain comprehensive SQL code explanations.