Sybase Database Technical Questions

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 A list of targeted technical questions you can ask about the Sybase databases, objects, tooling, and challenges. These questions will help you:

  • Understand the current Sybase environment deeply

  • Spot complexities that could affect migration

  • Identify areas where your Sybase expertise will be most valuable

🔍 Current Sybase Environment

  1. Which version of Sybase ASE are we using? Are there multiple instances/environments?

  2. Are there any custom configurations (e.g., page size, tempdb, buffer cache tuning)?

  3. What is the size of each Sybase database, and how fast is it growing?

  4. Are we using any Sybase-specific features (like partitioning, text/image datatypes, LOBs, proxy tables)?

  5. How is user authentication handled in Sybase (e.g., LDAP integration, roles, login triggers)?

🧱 Database Schema & Code

  1. What’s the complexity of the schema—do we have deeply nested views, or circular dependencies?

  2. How many stored procedures, triggers, and user-defined functions do we have?

  3. Are there undocumented or dynamic SQL procedures that will be hard to track or migrate?

  4. Are any system tables or undocumented features being used?

  5. Is there a naming convention or structure in stored procedures that implies business logic?

⏱️ Performance & Monitoring

  1. Are we using Query Plans (set showplan on) or tools like sp_showplan, dbcc for performance tuning?

  2. Are there long-running jobs or queries that are sensitive to performance changes post-migration?

  3. Are there known performance issues in Sybase today (blocking, deadlocks, I/O waits)?

  4. Do we use any caching or materialized views (e.g., summary tables) that need special handling?

⚙️ Jobs, Scheduling, and Integration

  1. Are there scheduled jobs or batch processes running via cron, at, or Sybase Job Scheduler?

  2. Are there linked servers, proxy tables (e.g., remote table access via srvclass) in use?

  3. Is the database integrated with ETL tools, third-party apps, or external services using ODBC/JDBC?

🔐 Security & Auditing

  1. What are the key roles, permissions, or security groups defined in Sybase?

  2. Are there any user-defined auditing mechanisms in place (e.g., login/logout tracking)?

  3. Do we use encrypted columns, obfuscation, or data masking at the Sybase level?

📤 Data Export & Migration

  1. What method are we using to extract data—bcp, dump/load, custom scripts, replication?

  2. Are there large tables with billions of rows or history tables that might require partitioned or incremental export?

  3. Do we have to deal with IDENTITY columns or timestamp fields—how are those being migrated?

🧪 Testing and Compatibility

  1. Have we identified any Sybase-specific syntax or functions that don't translate directly (e.g., isnull, patindex, convert)?

  2. Are there test suites or baseline query outputs available to validate post-migration results?

  3. Have we done a dry run or proof-of-concept migration to understand Sybase-specific gaps?

🛠️ Sybase Tools & Utilities

  1. Are we using Sybase Central, DBISQL, ASE Cockpit, or custom monitoring tools?

  2. Do we have any auditing or DDL capture tools running on Sybase?

  3. Is there a centralized logging or alerting system connected to Sybase (e.g., via email, SNMP traps)?

🧠 Knowledge Transfer & Documentation

  1. Is there documentation available for Sybase procedures, database schemas, or dependencies?

  2. Are there any Sybase veterans or business SMEs I can reach out to for tribal knowledge?

  3. Is there an ERD or any visual representation of the Sybase schema?

✅ Bonus Tip:

During meetings, take note of object counts (e.g., # of tables, procedures, triggers), and ask:

“Which Sybase objects are the most critical or fragile that we should treat with extra care?”

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