Often you'll find yourself logged into a web or application server and need to simply test that you can get to the SQL server you've unsuccessfully been trying to point your app at. Luckily there is a nifty trick built into Windows that allows you to save the day without having to install anything on your box – and it works on both client and server operating systems just as well.

Workload test write source buffer size, specified as (K/M/G). Used to supply random data for writes, which is a good idea for SQL Server testing-L: Capture latency information during the test, which is a very good idea for testing SQL Server-c: Creates workload file(s) of the specified size, specified as (K/M/G). Test data generation tools help the testers in Load, performance, stress testing and also in database testing. Data generated through these tools can be used in other databases as well. Some tools also provide security to the database by replacing confidential data with a dummy one.

Why would i ever need this?

Your app is having trouble connecting to SQL and you don't know what's wrong.

Is something wrong with your app?

Is it a network or firewall issue?

Is SQL even there…?

The 'so easy it almost can't be true' solution

The guys at Microsoft have baked a SQL Connectivity tool right into Windows with the creation of Microsoft Universal Data Link files (*.UDL) – something designed for another purpose.

These were designed as a way to save SQL connection data for use in a whole range of applications and are available on pretty much every version of Windows since *eternity*.

They also provide an awesome way to test SQL Connectivity.

To make this work simply follow the bouncing ball:

Create a new file anywhere. For arguments sake create a new Text file on your desktop

Now rename that file and change it's file extension to TestDatabase.udl (take note of the file extension).

Select 'Yes' when asked if you want to change the file extension.

This will give you a Data Link Editor that allows you to test the connection.

Pretty nifty in times of need!

(For the older web developers among us this might remind you of the panel you used for configuring a DSN for your ASP classic app… that's because it's the same panel!)

Issues and delays caused by database performance networks are a time and money drain IT teams can’t afford. With so many performance risk factors at play (memory usage, indexing, etc.), it can be hard to determine where, when, and why a problem is occurring. Implementing SQL tools focused on performance, monitoring, and management is a critical step in maintaining the health of your system.

This post will help you take control of your database by discussing some useful database monitoring tools, but first, we’ll look at some of the voids (problems) filled by the following options. With so many SQL server performance tools out there, it can be hard to sift through the noise. My favorite? SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer. This software offers a full suite of services and gets to the core of your performance issues, allowing you to address current pain points while preventing these issues in the future.

Common SQL Server Pain Points

An efficiently-running SQL server is a critical IT component for many SMBs and enterprises. If your application takes more than a few seconds to respond, it might as well be down completely. I’ve found in most cases, application performance problems are related to the database, and it takes SQL tools to really drill down and find out what’s going on. The last thing you want is to spend all your hours on diagnosis and tuning. The right SQL monitoring tools should help you check on these common server issues in a much more streamlined way:

Insufficient Indexing: There are many ways to index and, while there is no one right way, poor index design will directly impact the speed of queries. Index fragmentation is another pain point. When data is modified in any way, the indexing becomes fragmented, impacting the efficiency of your database, and if you don’t stay on top of this fragmentation, it can quickly lead to slowdowns.
Deadlocks: A deadlock is when at least two processes waiting on the same resource wind up each waiting for the other one to be complete before moving forward. This brings both processes to a halt. It’s important to quickly diagnose deadlocks and understand what happened to the failed processes, so you can maintain your data integrity and avoid these extended wait times.
Memory Usage: Memory usage directly impacts the pace of your server. Poorly written queries and large tables are leeches when it comes to memory space. Adding more memory to speed up SQL server performance is only a band-aid for the problem and adding extra resources can add expense. Instead, you’ll want to identify which queries and tables are responsible for the slowdown, so you can address the problem at its core.
Security Breaches: Hackers are more cunning than ever and managing the security of SQL servers has become especially challenging. Once a hacker enters your database, time is of the essence. If an anomaly can signal a security concern, custom scripts with an SQL monitoring tool might be able to help identify and catch it.

Luckily, there are dozens of SQL server tools to help you monitor and protect the health and wellbeing of your database. These SQL server performance tools offer bird’s-eye view dashboards, real-time alerts, and custom reports. The best thing about database performance analyzers? You don’t have to be a database expert to use them. The following list explains some of the top options on the market today:

Database Performance Analyzer

Of all the SQL server performance tuning tools out there, SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer (DPA) is my favorite. The software’s user-friendly interface, 24/7 real-time monitoring, and customizable alert system allow you to quickly identify when performance issues arise. With DPA, you can optimize databases on AWS, Azure, VMware, and more—the agentless architecture makes scaling (and the development process) easier.

But what really makes Database Performance Analyzer stand out is it doesn’t just show you where bottlenecks are happening. It also correlates activity, wait types, SQL statements, memory usage, and other dimensions to pinpoint their root cause. Their “Response Time Analysis” feature gives you precise, easily comprehensible insights into slowdowns. The software allows you to compare historic data to better identify anomalies and prevent them from reoccurring. The level of full visibility offered here is great for large companies, where database administrators, developers, and engineers must work together to solve problems.

For departments looking to get serious about their SQL performance monitoring, SolarWinds DPA is the way to go. Ethics case study examples. Here are some other notable features:

Keep everyone from DBAs to operational managers on the same page with a web interface to dashboards
Uses AI to detect anomalies and keep the database running at peak performance levels
Pinpoint problems faster with blockage and deadlock analysis

Idera SQL Diagnostic Manager

Idera SQL Diagnostic Manager is another popular database monitoring solution on the market. What makes Idera stand out in the crowd is its diversity—it’s designed to monitor databases in both physical and virtual environments. It also reports on a range of metrics, including CPU, memory, network usage, and hard disk usage and space.

In an era where attention spans are fleeting, and everyone is always on the run, users appreciate Idera’s intuitive web-based interface and mobile app. One thing to note—not every function is capable on your mobile phone, but some of the big ones are, including running queries, starting and stopping jobs, and killing processes.

Overall, Idera’s software offers a fairly easy way to hit the ground running and get a nice mix of metrics. Just be warned—it might not give you the kind of in-depth look into performance issues other software can.

Notable features of Idera’s SQL Diagnostic Manager inclu

Ms Sql Server Stress Test Tool