SQL Server Management Studio is the default management tool when we want to query information from your Microsoft SQL Server. Query complexity can range from ad-hoc SELECT queries to more complex SQL queries involving recursive statements, SQL Injections, and stored procedures.
For experienced DBAs to monitor their SQL Server database server, they would create stored procedures or store queries to their local machine to effectively monitor their databases. Take this script, for example:
It extracts information from which SQL Server Database are online. As a DBA, I only need to run the script and get the necessary information. Another alternative is to look at which SQL Server Database are online from the object explorer. It will list down all offline.
This approach is manageable with a few databases in your Microsoft SQL Server, but what happens when you have hundreds of SQL Server Database instances? The previous method is more viable since you measure which SQL Server Databases are online. You can also add details such as the last full backup and size backup. Look at this script for extracting backup information; I’ve modified the earlier query to add more details:
Now, how does dbWatch Control Center (CC) compare to the power of SQL Server Management Studio? If you want a direct comparison, you can go to the(CC) Worksheet and execute the query. Remember, you must add the authentication and database.
However, this is just one of the many ways dbWatch Control Center can make your life easier. The best way is to look at dbWatch’s Monitoring Module and select the instance. Go to Database Status and open “Details.” You will see information regarding your SQL Server Database status:
To check the backup of your SQL Server Database, go to Database Backups and repeat the previous actions. You should have the following information:
As you can see in the details report, it’s more comprehensive than running and executing a query. dbWatch Control Center’s (CC) strong suit is its non-reliance on SQL queries. I never needed to execute a single line of query since it’s already embedded in the program.
But that’s just one of the many benefits of CC. Imagine having 100 Microsoft SQL Server instances. You will need to open each one of them and execute those queries. What’s problematic here is when you devote a large portion of your time running and retrieving information for each instance. It’s manageable for a few SQL Server Database Servers, but once you are dealing with 100 SQL Server Database instances, you need to change how you would do things.
Another issue is that some queries are version dependent. Since I’m using a 2019 Developer Edition of Microsoft SQL Server, the SQL queries provided earlier will work in most cases. But what if I’m using an earlier version, say Microsoft SQL Server 2005? Will the query mostly work? Most probably not. The queries are designed for versions 2012 and above. So, I’m doubtful if the query will work in version 2005.
(CC) intends to solve both problems. With the solution, you don’t need to execute another code line, and it extracts information directly from the source. This process means that data displayed is automatically stored in the SQL Server Database, and information is displayed in dbWatch’s GUI. No need to maintain a script to extract information. Just run the dbWatch job, and new information is added.
Also, dbWatch’s jobs are version sensitive. Even if you extract information from a 2005 Microsoft SQL Server, it will still provide accurate information. The queries supplied to(CC) are scripts created by expert DBAs. So, you are borrowing their knowledge and executing a query you know will work. Regardless of version, dbWatch will standardize the data extracted, so all information is current.
Finally, with dbWatch Control Center’s Inventory overview, you can see which instances are online and if they are experiencing problems in performance, maintenance, availability, or capacity. With its Farm Module, you see the overall status of your Microsoft SQL Server environment and plan your approach accordingly.
------------------------------
dbWatch is a powerful solution for DBAs. You have the benefits of automated monitoring; you can also monitor your entire Microsoft SQL Server environment without switching in between access. dbWatch Control Center offers more than a SQL Server Management Studio. It provides productivity for a DBA to manage his workload effectively and proactive monitoring.
#DatabaseMonitoring #DatabasePerformance #SQLServer #DatabaseManagement #MSSQLServer
#MicrosoftSQLServer #SQLServerManagementStudio #SQLServerdatabaseserver #SQLServerDatabase
-----------------
Other Blogs:
Stored Objects in Database Architectures
Properly Matching Character Sets and Collations in MySQL
