Foglight for Azure SQL Database (Cartridge) 6.1.0.10 - User Guide

Installing and Configuring Agents

This guide provides configuration instructions, conceptual information and instructions on how to use the Foglight for Azure SQL Database cartridge. It describes the dashboards included with the cartridge and how they are used for collecting monitoring data from the entire relational database management system, as well as the cartridge’s interaction with and support of additional services and modules, such as replication and virtualization.

This guide is intended for Azure SQL Database administrators and for any users who want to know more about monitoring Azure SQL Databases through Foglight for Azure SQL Database, and the steps required for discovering and configuring the Azure SQL agent. It is also meant for those users who want to learn about the methods used for configuring and applying user-defined settings.

This section provides information about installing the cartridge and configuring the agents for monitoring Azure SQL Database systems:

Installation

For installation pre-requisites, permissions, and information necessary to determine your environment’s hardware requirements, see the Foglight for Databases Deployment Guide.

Foglight for Azure SQL Database monitors the Azure SQL Database activity by connecting to and querying the Azure SQL Database. The agents provided monitor the Azure SQL Database system. The dashboards included with the cartridge provide a visual representation of the status of the major components of the Azure SQL agents. They allow you to determine any potential bottleneck in database performance.

Starting to work with a Foglight for Azure SQL Database cartridge requires upgrading to the current version of both the cartridge and the Foglight Agent Manager that runs the cartridge.

About Monitoring Extensions

During the installation process you can choose to install and configure one or more of the monitoring extensions. The monitoring extensions provide a more in-depth analysis of the monitored database and the environment it is running on, creating a whole and unified status.

SQL Performance Investigator allows you to rapidly identify bottlenecks, anomalies, and application trends by focusing on top resource consumers and providing multi-dimensional SQL domain drilldowns. SQL PI allows you to:

NOTE: SQL Performance Investigator requires a license. If you are using a trial version and would like to request pricing, contact https://www.quest.com/register/57891.

NOTE: SQL PI requires a repository database that is installed automatically on the Agent Manager.

Installing and Monitoring a Single Azure SQL Database

Enabling the Foglight Management Server to monitor Azure SQL Databases requires the creation of the Foglight agents that monitor these databases and ensuring that these agents communicate properly with the Foglight Management Server.

Foglight for Azure SQL Database provides a graphic, intuitive method for creating and configuring multiple agents, which can be used instead of Foglight’s default method for creating agents and editing their properties using the Agent Administration dashboard.

IMPORTANT: When running Foglight for Azure SQL in a Federation architecture, neither the creation nor the administration of agents can be accomplished from the central Foglight Management Server (the Federation Master). These two tasks should be carried out from the stand-alone Management Servers (the Federated Children).

NOTE: If a user-defined database group is currently selected, the databases table's title displays the name of this group instead of All; however, all newly discovered or created databases are added to the general (All) group of databases.

IMPORTANT: You have the option set this host as the default for all future installations.

NOTE: The SQL Performance investigator requires an additional license, check the licensing information via Click for Licensing Information.

NOTE: To use gMSA authentication for connections to the PI Repository, select Local User in the Authentication drop-down. This requires that your FMS and Agent Manager are configured to run as a Windows Service logged on with the gMSA account. The gMSA account requires access to the SQL instance.

IMPORTANT: If the monitoring verification fails, click the message that is displayed on the Status column and resolve the issue according to the instructions that appear in the dialog box. For example, insufficient privileges, incorrect credentials, or an Agent Manager that reached its full monitoring capacity.