In this blog post, we will explore how to implement automated performance monitoring using the SQL Query Store feature in SQL Server. The SQL Query Store is a powerful tool that allows DBAs and developers to track and analyze query performance over time.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Enabling the Query Store
3. Configuring Query Store Settings
4. Monitoring Query Performance
5. Query Store Reports
6. Automating Performance Monitoring
7. Conclusion

Introduction

Monitoring and optimizing query performance is crucial for delivering efficient and responsive applications. The SQL Query Store provides a comprehensive view of query performance metrics, execution plans, and historical data, making it easier to diagnose and fine-tune query performance.

Enabling the Query Store

Enabling the Query Store is a straightforward process. Simply execute the following T-SQL command:

ALTER DATABASE [DatabaseName]
SET QUERY_STORE = ON;

Replace [DatabaseName] with the name of your database. Once enabled, the Query Store will start capturing and storing query performance information.

Configuring Query Store Settings

The Query Store has various configuration settings that can be customized to fit your monitoring requirements. These settings include:

• Query Store Capture Mode: Specifies whether to capture all queries or only those that exceed certain resource usage thresholds.
• Data Flush Interval: Controls how often the Query Store data is flushed to disk.
• Query Store Retention: Sets the duration for which query performance data is retained.

You can configure these settings using the following ALTER DATABASE T-SQL command:

ALTER DATABASE [DatabaseName]
SET QUERY_STORE ( OPERATION_MODE = <CaptureMode>, INTERVAL_LENGTH_MINUTES = <IntervalMinutes>, MAX_STORAGE_SIZE_MB = <MaxStorageSizeMB> );

Replace <CaptureMode>, <IntervalMinutes>, and <MaxStorageSizeMB> with the desired values.

Monitoring Query Performance

Once the Query Store is enabled and configured, you can monitor query performance using the following approaches:

1. Individual Query Analysis: Use the sys.query_store_query view to analyze the performance of specific queries. You can retrieve execution statistics, average and maximum runtimes, and compare performance across different time intervals.
2. Top Resource Consuming Queries: The sys.query_store_runtime_stats view provides insights into the top resource-consuming queries. You can identify queries with high CPU, memory, or IO usage. This helps in identifying and optimizing resource-intensive queries.
3. Execution Plan Analysis: The Query Store captures execution plans for each query. You can use the sys.query_store_plan view to analyze the performance of different execution plans and identify plan regressions.

Query Store Reports

SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) provides built-in reports to visualize the performance data captured by the Query Store. These reports include:

• Top Resource Consuming Queries: Shows queries with the highest resource usage within a specific time window.
• Regressed Queries: Identifies queries that have recently experienced a performance degradation.
• Overall Resource Consumption: Displays an overview of resource consumption trends over time.
• Query Store Disk Usage: Shows the disk space utilization by the Query Store.

These reports help DBAs and developers gain insights into query performance and identify areas for optimization.

Automating Performance Monitoring

Automating performance monitoring using the SQL Query Store can save time and provide proactive insights into query performance issues. You can set up scripts or jobs to gather query metrics periodically, analyze trends, and generate alerts when certain thresholds are exceeded.

For example, you can create a SQL Server Agent job to collect query performance data every hour, analyze average runtimes, and generate an email notification when the average runtime exceeds a predefined threshold.

By automating the monitoring process, you can ensure that potential performance issues are identified and addressed promptly.

Conclusion

Implementing automated performance monitoring using the SQL Query Store feature in SQL Server enables DBAs and developers to proactively monitor and optimize query performance. By leveraging the rich query performance data, configurable settings, and built-in reports, you can gain valuable insights, identify performance bottlenecks, and fine-tune your database queries for better efficiency and responsiveness.

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