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Foglight for SQL Server (Cartridge) 5.7.5.50 - 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 pull 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 PI Repository Cold Backup Procedure 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

Introduction to this Guide

Welcome to the Foglight for SQL Server User and Reference Guide. This guide provides configuration instructions, conceptual information and instructions on how to use the Foglight for SQL Server 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. Also covered are the cartridge’s interaction with and support of additional services and modules, such as replication and virtualization.

This guide is intended for users who wants to know more about monitoring SQL Server instances and the steps required for discovering and configuring the SQL Server agent. It is also meant for those users who want to learn about the methods used for configuring and applying user-defined settings.

Installation

Information regarding the installation of Foglight for SQL Server, its pre-requisites and permission can be found in the Foglight for SQL Server Deployment Guide. You can view this guide on Quest’s website at https://support.quest.com/technical-documents/foglight-for-sql-server-cartridge/5.7.5.50/deployment-guide/.

Installing and Configuring Agents

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

Upgrading to the Current Version

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

This contains instructions for using the upgrade wizard.

* 
IMPORTANT: Foglight for SQL Server does not support the upgrade method of placing the new version under the folder FGLHOME/upgrade/cartridge folder.
* 
IMPORTANT: If upgrading to the current version of Foglight for SQL Server in a Federation architecture, the upgrade should be applied first to the stand-alone Management Servers (the Federated Children) and then to the central Management Server (the Federation Master).
If the Federation Master is upgraded first, this server displays incorrect information regarding the number of instances being monitored, as reported under the Status Summary section. All the same, this information is displayed correctly on the Federated Children.

Overview

Overview

If you upgrade Foglight for SQL Server, without also upgrading the database cartridge components, the discrepancy will be detected when you access the Databases dashboard. The upgrade wizard lauches automatically.

Selecting the check box at the bottom left of the screen prevents this wizard from appearing when entering the Databases dashboard. Nevertheless, if several database cartridge components still require upgrade, the need to upgrade them is indicated in the dashboard. The indication is evident both in the caption Upgrade required, which is displayed in red to the right of the requested instance. It also appears in the button Upgrade, which appears only if upgrade is required.

 
* 
NOTE: Even though instances whose components need to be upgraded appear in the Databases table, such instances cannot be accessed by clicking them, until they have been fully upgraded.

Running the Upgrade Wizard

Running the Upgrade Wizard
To upgrade the requested instances:
1
Click Upgrade.
The screen that appears now is the same screen that appears by default upon entering the Databases dashboard when one or more database cartridge components require upgrading. While the need for upgrade is indicated for both Foglight for Oracle and Foglight for SQL Server, the upgrade is carried out separately for each database cartridge type.
2
Click Foglight for SQL Server.
A Welcome page displays What’s New in this release, including bug fixes.
3
If SQL Performance Investigator is not configured, proceed to Step 5.
4
If SQL Performance Investigator is configured, the SQL PI repository must be upgraded prior to the agents upgrade.
5
Select the Agent Managers to upgrade.
Figure 1. Select the Agent Managers to install.
 
* 
NOTE: The Other Agents column in the table indicates whether the specified Foglight Agent Manager runs agents of other cartridge types. If a value is displayed in this column, go to Dashboards > Administration > Agents > Agent Status to view which other agents run under the specified Foglight Agent Manager. If the other agents appear in the list below, upgrading Foglight Agent Manager to the latest version is safe. For agents of any other cartridge type, consult the documentation of the respective cartridge types.
•
DB_DB2_*
•
DB_SQL_Server_*
•
DB_Oracle_*
•
Sybase_MDA
•
UnixAgent
•
WindowsAgent
6
Click Upgrade the selected Foglight Agent Managers.
A progress bar appears.
7
After the upgrade is complete, click Next.
The next screen is used for granting privileges to users that were detected as possibly requiring additional
privileges to ensure full functionality.
8
Select the agents displayed in the table and click Validate connectivity.
9
If the status row of one or more agents displays the status Insufficient privileges, complete the following steps:
a
Select all agents that require privileges updates, and click Grant privileges.
b
In the Grant Database Privileges dialog box, enter a SYSADMIN user name and password.
c
To view the script used for granting the privileges, click View script.
* 
IMPORTANT: The script for granting privileges is invoked using a pop-up.To view the script, ensure that pop ups are not blocked on the page.
d
Click Grant database privileges.
10
On the Rule Modification Overview page, review the list of modified rules.
Modified rules have one of the following states:
•
Removed — The rule is obsolete and was deleted from the Management Server.
•
New — The rule is new in this release. To review its definition, click View new rule.
•
Updated — The rule was updated in this release. To review the updated rule, click View updated rule. If a rule targeted for update is modified by a user, the user’s modified rule is copied and disabled before the updated rule is installed. To review the modified rule, click View user-updated rule.
 
* 
TIP: To avoid having to repeat rule modifications after an upgrade, do not edit rules with the DBSS prefix in the Rule Management dashboard. Use the Alarms view on the Databases Administration dashboard instead. When you make your edits on the Alarms view, the edits are saved separately and applied over the predefined rules. For instructions, see Customizing Alarms for Foglight for SQL Server Rules .
11
Foglight Performance Analysis is no longer supported and has been replace by the SQL Performance Investigator. All Instances that are configured to use Foglight Performance Analysis will be deprecated and replace with the SQL Performance Investigator capabilities.
During this process you are prompted to select a dedicated Agent Manager on which to install an external database repository. The SQL PI configuration takes into account the resources needed for monitoring with SQL PI and prompts you with further information.
All information regarding the resource allocations needed for SQL PI monitoring can be found in the SQL Server cartridge Hardware Sizing Guide.
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