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SQLRx Tip of the Month
 

October 2013
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performance monitor 
Performance Monitor:   Be aware of The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle - Monitor performance but take care that the monitoring does not negatively affect performance on the system being monitored. The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle is a rule that is often associated to the study of quantum mechanics. The rule simply said states that the more closely you try to observe the behavior of something, the more likely you are to affect
its behavior.
  
While SQL performance tuning isn't quantum mechanics, this principle does apply since watching the performance of a system definitely can affect the system's performance. The trick is to ensure that you understand the impact of the performance data that you are collecting, and that the impact is reasonable and isn't skewing results. Make sure you understand sampling thresholds as well as the width and breadth of performance data being returned for analysis so that data can be expanded or throttled as needs dictate.

 

Performance statistics we analyze regularly are:

 

Processor (% Processor Time) (for each processor)

Memory (Available Bytes)

PhysicalDisk (Avg. Disk sec/Read) (for each disk)
PhysicalDisk (Avg. Disk sec/Write) (for each disk)
PhysicalDisk (Avg. Disk sec/Transfer) (for each disk)
PhysicalDisk (% Idle Time) (for each disk)
Network Interface (Bytes Total/sec) (for each NIC)

SQLServer:Buffer Manager (Page life expectancy)

 

SQLRx has worked hard to minimize the impact of monitoring SQL Servers to the point that we are able to monitor high transaction systems with little impact (1% load) on the target system. Contact us today to help you monitor your SQL servers!    

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As always, don't forget to regularly monitor the 11 VitalSigns  used by SQLRx to debug performance bottlenecks.

If you have a SQL question you'd like us to answer, and possibly use for the next SQLRx Tip of the Month, email it to us!  If you missed any of our previous tips, you can view them here.

For assistance or more information on optimizing your SQL Server Environment, visit us at www.sqlrx.com or email Lori Brown at lorib@isi85.com.


Sincerely,

 

Lori Brown | SQLRx Senior Consultant | Integrated Services, Inc.
4144 N. Central Expwy, Suite 430  |  Dallas, TX  75204
Phone: 214.526.7680 x 113 | 800.85.SQLRx

 

 

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