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.

1. AppInsight for SQL
Deep SQL Server Monitoring
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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:
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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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15. Thank you!
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