Despite being a popular database, SQL Server is still prone to performance issues. Learn how AppInsight for SQL, a new embedded feature in SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor, can help you discover and troubleshoot these issues more quickly.
2. Bottlenecks in a SQL Environment
» Despite being a popular database, SQL Server is still prone to
performance issues, such as:
Queries: Bad queries and expensive queries slow database
performance
Database Size: When database size grows, the server requires more
memory and CPU to read the data
Indexing: Adding more information to the database causes the index
content to scatter, this also causes fragmentation. Poor index
fragmentation requires more disk space which slows database
searches
Memory: Insufficient memory reduces SQL server performance and
leads to excessive paging
Connections: Database performance declines when multiple users run
queries or try to access the SQL server
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3. Deep SQL Monitoring Solution
» Drill deep to monitor SQL server issues using AppInsight for
SQL. A new embedded feature now part of SolarWinds
Server & Application Monitor (SAM) offering deep SQL server
monitoring
Powerful and deep SQL server monitoring using agentless technology
Easily solve common and complex SQL bottlenecks
Dedicated performance counters that monitors SQL servers
comprehensively
Automatically discover SQL 2008, 2008R2, and SQL 2012 server
instances – easily scan an entire subnet, group of subnets, IP address
ranges, or a list of individual IP addresses
Drill deeper from a node to a database component seamlessly using
the intuitive dashboard
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4. Monitoring SQL Server Performance
See critical information in one view
using AppInsight for SQL
Memory
Disk Usage
Storage
Information
Buffer
Statistics
Cache
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Top
Expensive
Queries
Event &
Error Logs
And many
more
5. Key Performance Metrics | Database
Availability
» Database availability is the
most important metric to
monitor
You should know the status of
your database at any given time
View a graphical representation
of various states of availability for
the current database
Edit availability resources
• Change availability interval
• Chart title names
• Amount of historic data you
want to load
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6. Key Performance Metrics | Top Expensive
Queries
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» CPU utilization is will be high if a single query has a delayed
response. Further, applications using the same SQL database
will have performance issues due to an expensive query
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7. Key Performance Metrics | Top Expensive
Queries
» Monitor the following performance metrics to ensure
queries are performing effectively:
CPU Time: Shows what each query is doing to CPU load and
performance
Query Duration: Monitor how long it takes for a query to run
Logical & Physical Reads: Indicates the total number of pages needed
to process the query and number of pages read from the disks
Execution: See the number of times the listed query is executed
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8. Key Performance Metrics | Memory
» Memory bottlenecks causes performance issues in SQL
server
Comprehensively monitor key metrics related to memory
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Total server memory
Target server memory
SQL cache memory
Lock memory
Optimizer memory
Connection memory
Memory grants pending
Workfiles created/sec
Worktables created/sec
Cache hit ratio
Pages/sec
And many more
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9. Other Key Performance Metrics to Monitor
SQL
Performance
Metrics
Database Size
SQL Storage Metrics
Hardware Health
Top 10 Clustered Indexes by Fragmentation
Database Connections
SQL Error Logs
Latches & Locks
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10. Statistical Thresholds & Real-time Alerting
»
Set alerts based on statistical
thresholds with Server &
Application Monitor:
Automatically create thresholds
from baseline values from data
collected over 7 days or more
Configure alerts based on
resource dependencies,
correlated events, and sustained
conditions
Automatically set threshold
values depending on day or night
SQL performance
Depending on alert priority, view
alerts in the Web console or
receive them via email or phone
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11. Real-time Reporting on SQL Databases
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Eliminate blind spots by providing indepth visibility and reporting on
database availability, memory, disk
usage, etc.
Access over 100 out-of-the-box Webbased reports to help quickly uncover
database issues, perform proactive
performance analysis, and report of
SLAs
Use AppInsight for SQL to generate
reports such as:
Database back-up
Database size by file
Database status
Top tables by size
Expensive queries
Transaction log size
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12. Takeaway for DBAs & SysAdmins
» Get the most out of your SQL server – optimize performance
by monitoring key performance metrics
» Stay aware of the performance and availability of the
database server at any given time
» Increases the effectiveness of the database server
» Avoid performance bottlenecks
» Offers scalability to monitor more databases and instances
» Helps maintain your server hardware and keep it in a healthy
status
Leverage AppInsight for SQL for continuous and consistent SQL server performance
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13. Learn More About AppInsight for SQL
Tech-Tips: AppInsight for SQL
Blog: Optimize & Diagnose Memory Issues in SQL
Server
Video: SQL Performance Monitoring Best Practices
Whitepaper: The Essential Guide to Database
Monitoring
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14. Test Drive AppInsight for SQL
Maintain the health of your SQL Server using Server & Application Monitor
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