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Foglight for SQL Server (Cartridge) 6.3.0 - User Guide

Introduction to this Guide Using Foglight for SQL Server
Viewing the Databases Dashboard Overview Dashboard Advisories Dashboard Monitoring Data Replication Monitoring SQL Performance Reviewing Memory Usage Reviewing the Instance Activity Reviewing Database Usage Reviewing the Services Using the HADR Drilldown Using the Logs Drilldown Reviewing Configuration Settings Viewing User-defined Performance Counters and Collections
Monitoring Business Intelligence Services Administering Foglight for SQL Server
Configuration Settings Managing Foglight for SQL Server Agent Settings Reviewing Foglight for SQL Server Alarms Generating Reports Monitoring SQL Server instances on VMware servers
Glossary
A
Access methods Adhoc SQL Plans Alarm Alert Allow updates Anonymous subscription Authentication AutoClose AutoGrow Automatic Discovery AutoShrink B Batch BCP (Bulk Copy Program) Blocking Books Online Bound trees Buffer Buffer cache Buffer pool Bulk copy Bulkinsert Bulk load C Cache CAL Calibration Cardinality Cartridge Chart Checkpoint process Client network utility CLR Compile Connect Connection Connectivity software CPU Usage Cursors D Data access components Data file Data storage engine Database Database object DataFlow DBCC DBID DBO Deadlock Disk queue length Disk transfer time Disk utilization DiskPerf Distributing instance Distributor DMO Drilldown DTC DTS E Error log Event alert Execution contexts Extended stored procedures Extent External procedures F File Filegroup File cache Foglight Agent Manager Foglight Management Server Foreign key Forwarded records Free buffers Free list Free pages Free potential Free space Freespace scans Full text search G GAM Ghosted records Growth increment GUID H Hash buckets Hashing Heap Hit rate Hit ratio Host name Host process I I/O Index Indid Integrated security Intent Locks J Job K Kernel memory Kernel mode Kill L Latch Lazy writer Licensing Lightweight pooling Lock Lock area Lock escalation Lock mode Log Log cache Log writer Logical I/O LRU LSN M Master MaxSize MDAC Metric Misc.normalized trees Model Monitor page file N Named pipes Net library NIC Null O OBID Object plans OLAP OLAP service OLTP Optimizer Optimizer cache osql P Page life expectancy Paging Panel Parse Parser Per seat licensing Per server licensing Performance alert Physical I/O Physical read Physical write PID Pinned Plan Plan cache Potential growth Prepared SQL plans Primary key Privileged mode Procedure cache Procedure plans Process Profiler Publication database Publisher Publisher databases Publishing server Pull subscription Pulse Push subscription Q Query plan R RAID Random I/O Read ahead Recompile Referential integrity Relational data engine Replication procedure plans Role Rollback S sa Schema locks Sequential I/O Session Severity SGAM Shared locks Show advanced options SMP Sort, Hash, Index Area SPID Spike Spinner SQL Agent Mail SQL Mail SQL Plans SQL Server Agent SQL Server authentication SQL Server books online Standard deviation Stolen pages Stored procedure Support service SYSADMIN role T TDS TempDB Temporary tables and table variables Threshold Torn page detection Transaction Trigger Trigger plans Truncate Trusted U UMS Unused space User connection area User mode V Virtual log file VLF W Waitfor Windows authentication mode Working set
Reference
SQL Performance Investigator Metrics
Active Time All SQL Agents CPU Usage All SQL Agents Resident Memory Usage Availability Average Physical I/O Operations Average SQL Response Time Backup Recovery Wait Blocked Lock Requests Checkpoint Pages CLR Wait CPU Usage CPU Wait Cursor Synchronization Wait Database Replication Wait Deferred Task Worker Wait Degree of Parallelism Disk Utilization DTC CPU Usage DTC Resident Memory Usage Distributed Transaction Wait Executions Ended Executions Started External Procedures Wait Full Scans Full Text Search CPU Usage Full Text Search Resident Memory Usage Full Text Search Wait Free Buffer Wait Hosted Components Wait IO Bulk Load Wait IO Completion Wait IO Data Page Wait IO Wait Latch Buffer Wait Latch Wait Latch Savepoint Wait Lazy Writes Lock Wait Lock Bulk Update Wait Lock Exclusive Wait Lock Intent Wait Lock Requests Lock Schema Wait Lock Shared Wait Lock Update Wait Lock Wait Log Buffer Wait Log Flushes Log Other Wait Log Synchronization Wait Log Wait Log Write Wait Memory Wait Network IO Wait Network IPC Wait Network Mirror Wait Network Wait Non SQL Server CPU Usage Non SQL Resident Memory Usage OLAP CPU Usage OLAP Resident Memory Usage OLEDB Provider Full Text Wait Other CPU Usage Other Miscellaneous Wait Other Wait Overall CPU Page Life Expectancy Page Splits Parallel Coordination Wait Physical I/O Physical Memory Used Physical Page Reads Physical Page Writes Probe Scans Plan Cache Hit Rate Range Scans Rec Ended Duration Remote Provider Wait Run Queue Length Samples Service Broker Wait Session Logons Session Logoffs SQL Agent CPU Usage SQL Agent Resident Memory Usage SQL Executions SQL Mail CPU Usage SQL Mail Resident Memory Usage SQL Recompilations SQL Response Time SQL Server Background CPU Usage SQL Server Cache Memory SQL Server Connections Memory SQL Server Connections Summary SQL Server Foreground CPU Usage SQL Server Resident Memory Usage SQL Server Swap Memory Usage Synchronous Task Wait Table Lock Escalation Target Instance Memory Total CPU Usage Total Instance Memory Virtual Memory Used
Rules Collections and Metrics
SQL Server Agent's Default Collections Access Methods Agent Alert List Agent Job List Always On Availability Groups Backup Locations Blocking History Blocking List Buffer Cache List Buffer Manager CLR Assemblies Cluster Summary Configuration Database Index Density Vectors Database Index Details Database Index Fragmentation Info Database Index Histogram Database Index List Database Information Database Properties Database Sessions (Session List) Database Summary Database Tables List Databases Deadlock DTC Information Error Log Error Log List Error Log Scan File Groups File Data Flow Statistics File Groups Files Files Drive Total Files Instance Summary Full Text Catalog InMemory OLTP (XTP) Instance Wait Categories Instance Wait Events Job Messages Latches and Locks Lock Statistics Locks List Log Shipping Log Shipping Error Logical Disks Long Running Session Memory Manager Mirroring Mirroring Performance Counters Missing Indexes Plan Cache Distribution Plan Cache List Replication Agents Replication Agent Session Actions Replication Agent Session Merge Articles Replication Agent Sessions Replication Agent Sessions by Type Replication Available Replication Publications Replication Subscriptions Reporting Services Resource Pool Session Data Session Trace SQL PI Instance Statistics SQL Server Connections Summary SQL Server Global Variables SQL Server Host SQL Server Load SQL Server Services SQL Server Throughput SQL Server Version Info SSIS OS Statistics SSIS Summary Statistics Top SQLs Top SQL Batch Text Top SQL Long Text Top SQL Plan Top SQL Short Text Top SQL Summary Traced SQL PA Usability User-defined Performance Counters User-defined Queries Virtualization XTP Session Transactions Statistics

Viewing SQL Statement Details

The SQL Statements table displays the top SQL statements that experienced the longest elapsed time during the selected time range. The number of SQL statements displayed is shown at the table's title, together with the field used for ordering the SQL statements. Selecting a row displays the workload and executions of the selected SQL statement on the SQL Activity section below. For details, see SQL Activity section .

Selecting the SQL Text in the SQL Statements tree panel displays a page that allows viewing detailed information about the selected SQL statement. For details, see SQL Activity section .

* 
NOTE: SQL Statement settings can be changed through Administration > Top SQL Statements.
To view SQL statement details:
1
In the Instance view, expand the Instance View.
2
Click SQL Statements.

 

Table 7. The Top SQL Statements table contains the following columns:
Column
Description
SQL Text

The SQL text for the selected SQL statement.

Object Name

The name of the object owning the SQL. For example: view, procedure or function.

% CPU Workload

The relative share, in percent, which the selected SQL statement occupies within the instance’s total CPU consumption.

Executions Started

The number of the selected SQL statement’s executions that started during the selected time range.

SQL % Hit Rate

The hit rate, in percent, of the selected SQL statement.

Elapsed Time

The total time consumed for carrying out the SQL statement executions.

CPU Time

The total CPU time consumed for carrying out the SQL statement executions.

Total I/O Operations

The total number of reads, both physical and logical, carried out by the selected SQL statement.

SQL Activity section

Located below the table of Top SQL Statements by Elapsed Time, the SQL Activity section of the pane displays the workload and executions of the SQL statement you selected in the TOP SQL Statements table.

These metrics are visually represented in two graphs:

•
CPU Workload (Average Active Sessions) — Displays the activity (system workload), plotted over the specified time range. This graph compares the following metrics:
•
Overall CPU Workload — the workload incurred by the total top SQL statements displayed in the Top SQL Statements by Elapsed Time table.
•
Selected SQL CPU Workload — the average number of active sessions incurred by the selected SQL statement.
•
Executions — Displays the number of times the selected SQL statement was executed during the selected time range. Alternatively, it is possible to display the number of executions carried out by the total SQL statements in the Top SQL statements table.
Viewing specific SQL statement details

To view detailed graphic and textual data about a specific SQL statement, select the SQL statement from the statements listed in the Instance View.

This page contains the following panes:

SQL activity
•
The SQL Activity pane displays the CPU workload and executions of the selected SQL statement, as well as all SQL statements displayed on the Top SQL Statements table. This pane is identical to the SQL Activity section on the Top SQL Statements panel.
SQL text
•
The SQL Text pane displays the short text of the selected SQL handle, and allows viewing the wider context of this text, namely: the SQL handle's full text, the entire batch and the SQL Statement's execution plan.
•
This pane displays the short SQL statement, whose maximum size is by default 256 characters. In addition, the pane includes the following buttons:
•
View Full Text — Displays a pop-up with the SQL handle's full text
•
View Batch — Displays a pop-up with the full text of the entire batch to which the SQL handle belongs
•
View Plan — Displays a pop-up that shows the SQL statement's execution plan and allows downloading the execution plan (.sqlplan) file.
SQL metrics
 
Table 8. The SQL Metrics pane contains a table with the selected SQL statement's metrics:
Column
Description
Object Name

The name of the object from which the SQL statement was executed.

Executions

The number of executions that took place on this object since it was brought into the library cache.

NOTE: The Executions parameter does not provide any informational value unless the Total option is selected. When selecting the option Perf Execution, the value of this parameter is always one (1).
Elapsed Time

The total time consumed for carrying out the SQL statement executions.

CPU Time

The total CPU time consumed for carrying out the SQL statement executions.

CLR Time

If the statement executed one or more CLR objects, the time consumed for these executions.

Total I/O Operations

The total number of reads, both physical and logical, carried out by the selected SQL statement.

Pie Charts

The Pie Charts pane includes the pie charts listed below, which display the activity during the selected time range for the selected metrics.

•
Total CPU Time — The total CPU time consumed for executing the selected SQL statement, compared with the CPU time consumed for executing all of the SQL statements
•
Executions — The number of times the SQL script executed for a the selected SQL handle, compared with the total SQL statements
•
Logical Reads — The total number of logical reads for the selected SQL statement, compared with the total SQL statements
•
Physical Reads — The total number of physical reads for the selected SQL statement, compared with the total SQL statements

Monitoring SQL Performance with SQL PI Configured

The SQL Performance Investigator provides the ability of a more in-depth analysis and investigation of the Instance activity and resource consumption.

SQL PI provides the ability to investigate and analyze the resource consumption of the instance by using:

•
Activity Highlights. See Activity Highlights
•
Performance tree. See Performance Tree
•
History. See Viewing Historical Metrics
•
Change Tracking. See Viewing Change Tracking
•
Execution plan. See Viewing Execution Plans

Activity Highlights

The Activity Highlights are provided for fast performance analysis and allow users focus on the most significant dimensions that are relevant for the resource selected in the selected time range.

This pane comprises the following elements:

•
Summary — Summarizes the instance consumption time by % of the total instance activity.
•
Activity Highlights table — Displays the activity highlights, resource breakdown usage, and the top wait event that the instance is waiting on within the selected time range.

Performance Tree

The performance tree provides iterative (up to three levels) access to any of the key dimensions associated with SQL Server database activity, based on the OLAP multidimensional model and an instance view of the instance activity. Domain nodes offer a hierarchical view of all types of SQL Server activity characteristics.

Selecting a dimension from the tree determines what subset of activity is displayed. Iterative drill-down into domains of interest provides increasingly refined focus and diagnosis.

For example, to begin the investigation by first identifying the most active DB User, follow the steps described below:
1
Select the DB Users node, to display the most active database users in the selected time range. That is, the database users who consumed the highest amount of the selected resource.
2
Select the first user, to focus the entire window on that user's activity.
3
Identify the most demanding SQL statement that this specific user has executed, by expanding the user node and then selecting the SQL statement dimension node.
This displays the most active SQL statements executed by this user.
4
Select a specific SQL statement to focus the entire window on the selected statement's activity.
5
Select Client Machines under the selected SQL Statement, to view the computers on which the statement was run.

In a similar manner, such iterative drilldowns can be carried out into any SQL Server dimension of interest, to gain a complete understanding of the causes of its behavior.

The default SQL Server dimensions are as follows:

•
SQL Statements — The executed SQL commands.
•
TSQL Batches — T-SQL Batch is the set of T-SQL (Transact-SQL) commands that are sent to execution together, usually corresponding to a single business transaction. TSQL Batch can end with a GO command, and execute database components such as:
•
Stored Procedures — Sets of T-SQL code that are stored and compiled in a SQL Server database.
•
Functions — Saved T-SQL routines that return a single value or a set of columns and rows.
•
Triggers — Batches that fire after the execution of a DML (Data Manipulation Language) statement.
•
Databases — The database context in which the session carried out its operations. A session may switch to numerous databases within its lifetime.
•
Programs — Name of a program that connects to SQL Server and executes the SQL statements, as specified in the Program column of the SQL Server session information.
•
OS Users — Operating system users running the client program.
•
Client Machines — The machines on which the client executable (connected to SQL Server) is running.
•
DB Users — SQL Server login names used for logging in to SQL Server.
•
Context Info — Optional trace information that a session can create using the SET CONTEXT_INFO command. Context Info allows users to associate up to 128 bytes of binary information with the current session or connection. While the technical implementation is binary, users commonly associate keywords or strings of text with their sessions.
•
Command Types — Executed SQL command type (for example, INSERT and SELECT).
•
Sessions — Presents the top sessions which consumed the highest active time during the selected time frame.
•
Locked Objects — Displays the objects that experienced locks, the duration of the lock and the type of the lock. The object view can be sorted by selecting a dimension in the performance tree, for example: by selecting a database name only the locked object that occurred on that database will be displayed.

In the SQL Statements and SQL Batches dimension there is an option to view information regarding the selected statement\batch through the top SQL statements\TSQL Batches:

•
View Full Text — View full text of the statement\batch selected.
•
Analyze Plan — View execution plan analytics of the statement\batch selected for more information regarding the execution plan. See Viewing Execution Plans
•
Tune SQL — Export the statement\batch selected to a file that can be opened by Quest’s SQL Optimizer toll.
•
Compare — Retrieve the selected statement\batch to the compare dashboard for comparing it to other activities. For more information regarding the Compare, see Comparing Performance .
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