SQL Server Monitoring

If database administrators (DBAs) don't spend time proactively monitoring the performance of their SQL Servers, they will be destined to end up frantically reacting to complaints from customers, users, or worse, their managers. SQL Server does have some self-tuning capabilities, but they are not designed to cover every possible situation that could potentially affect the performance of the server. Thus to stay on top of the events that could negatively impact their servers DBAs need to institute a formal SQL Server monitoring procedure at their site.

The Process of SQL Server Monitoring

The first step in SQL Server Monitoring process is to pick a performance monitoring tool. Once the tool is selected, the DBA needs to determine which objects with counters on them they want to track. The tool selected should also be able to track and log performance data obtained from the SQL Server.

The DBA then needs to decide which storage method he or she wants to use to maintain all the collected data. The storage option that is chosen needs to be capable of housing a large quantity of data. This data should then be analyzed by the DBA to identify any performance trends.

SQL Server monitoring is an ongoing task. Thus, the data needs to be collected over a long-term time period, such as a few months or a couple of years. This information can then be incorporated into future expansion plans or to make recommendations for system upgrades.