Maintaining the health and performance of your SQL Server isn’t just an IT function, but has become an essential part of businesses that need to survive and stand out from their competitors. Earlier, managing databases was relatively straightforward. Admins were more reliant on manual analysis and used basic dashboards to monitor queries and uptime. But in the current environment, every business demands real-time insights. The introduction of cloud-hosted databases and interconnected systems has made it difficult for businesses to survive using traditional methods. Now, even the smallest performance issue or unnoticed anomaly can snowball into a system-wide failure, data breach, or financial loss.
That’s why businesses, SaaS providers, and IT service providers are increasingly turning to SQL Server monitoring tools. These tools offer real-time visibility into database health, performance trends, user activity, and potential threats. Whether you’re a DBA managing dozens of servers, a DevOps team working in hybrid environments, or a security analyst responsible for preventing data leaks, SQL monitoring tools are essential for keeping systems optimized and secure.
No doubt, the need for SQL server monitoring tools is on the rise and some major pain points that are pushing teams to invest in the robust monitoring solutions are:
- You’re facing frequent performance issues, such as slow queries, blocked processes, or CPU spikes but can’t pinpoint the cause in time.
- Your team spends hours manually analyzing logs and performance counters, leading to slow incident resolution.
- You’re experiencing unexpected downtime, but lack real-time alerts or historical analysis to prevent breach.
- Your SQL environment has grown complex, i.e., on-premise, cloud, and virtual but your tools don’t offer unified monitoring.
- You’re under pressure to meet SLAs or compliance mandates but can’t produce the required reports quickly.
- You suspect unauthorized access or abnormal behavior but lack a detailed audit trail or real-time activity tracking.
Having the right SQL Server monitoring tool in hand can help overcome these challenges by providing actionable insights, customizable alerts, and automated analysis. It will eventually shift IT teams from a reactive approach to proactive optimization. But with so many tools in the market, each claiming to offer comprehensive features, choosing the right one is a big challenge that most buyers face.
That’s why our team has evaluated and curated a list of the top SQL Server monitoring tools. Whether you’re looking for deep performance analytics, user activity tracking, or real-time alerting, this guide will help you find the right solution to keep your SQL environment stable, secure, and high-performing.
Our goal is to help you find the best SQL server monitoring tool that keeps your business protected from data breaches and provides real-time insights for better decision-making.
Here is our list of the best SQL Server monitoring tools:
- Paessler SQL monitoring software PRTG (FREE TRIAL) A network, server, and application monitor that examines monitor Microsoft SQL, Oracle SQL, MySQL, and PostgreSQL performance. Download a 30-day free trial.
- ManageEngine Applications Manager (FREE TRIAL) Monitors SQL Server databases and underlying server performance. Runs on Windows Server and Linux. Start a 30-day free trial.
- Site24x7 SQL Server Monitoring (FREE TRIAL) A monitor for networks, servers, and applications with SQL Server monitoring capabilities. This is a cloud-based system. Start a 30-day free trial.
- Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud (FREE TRIAL) A package aimed at managed service providers that is delivered on a SaaS model and focuses on security for data held on endpoints. Start a 30-day free trial.
- Datadog SQL Server Monitoring An infrastructure monitor that includes database monitoring and a specialized integration for SQL Server.
- Checkmk An infrastructure monitoring system that includes specialized monitors for SQL Server. Runs on Linux.
- Idera SQL Diagnostic Manager This tool monitors SQL databases in physical and virtual environments including server CPU, memory, hard disk, and network usage.
- SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer for SQL Server This cross-platform tool for Windows Server monitors SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, DB2, SAP ASE, and Cloud servers from one centralized location.
- dbWatch Database Control A specialized database monitor that offers a unified front end for all of your database instances. Runs on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.
- AimBetter This cloud-based service specializes in performance monitoring for SQL Server instances and can also tune Oracle and SAP systems. There is also a database management service available.
- Lepide SQL Server Auditing A server auditing package for effectively monitoring SQL instances that run on Windows and Windows Server.
- Red-Gate SQL Monitor This tool has 40 pre-configured alerts to monitor memory resource usage, high CPU, disk space, SQL errors, and SQL query performance issues.
- SQL Power Tools Lightweight agentless SQL monitoring solution that covers Oracle SQL Server, Informix, and Sybase database servers.
- dbForge Monitor Discover CPU utilization, memory utilization, disk activity, and IO latency with this tool.
By utilizing dedicated server monitoring tools, administrators can continuously track the health of SQL Server instances, identifying potential performance issues before they become significant problems. These tools provide valuable insights into system metrics such as CPU usage, memory consumption, query performance, and disk activity, enabling proactive management
Database performance tuning involves optimizing queries, reallocating resources, or addressing bottlenecks. However, DBAs don’t perform those tasks without a trigger. Identifying performance concerns early helps maintain system stability and prevents minor issues from escalating into major disruptions.
Neglecting to monitor SQL Server can lead to severe consequences. In the best case, it might result in performance degradation, affecting user experience and productivity. In the worst case, it can cause complete system outages, potentially leading to costly downtime.
Server failures can disrupt business operations, result in lost revenue, and incur significant recovery costs. Therefore, regular and effective monitoring of SQL Server is not just an operational best practice but a critical component in safeguarding against both immediate and long-term risks to business continuity.
Key Points To Consider Before Purchasing a SQL Server Monitoring Tool
Continuous monitoring of your databases and servers is the need of the hour. Hence, investing in a SQL server monitoring tool is the right decision, but how to determine which tool can be a perfect fit for your business? To make it easier for you to compare and choose between different options available in the market, we have penned down some key features to look for when evaluating or selecting a SQL server monitoring tool.
- Real-Time Performance Monitoring: One of the most important features to look for in a SQL Server monitoring tool is real-time performance monitoring. With this feature in your selected tool, the team will be able to continuously watch over their SQL server environment and get instant updates on how the system is performing at all times. Further, buyers will be able to track critical metrics like CPU usage, memory consumption, disk I/O, active sessions, etc. These live insights will eventually help database administrators to quickly detect when something starts to go wrong. However, if the tool doesn’t provide real-time visibility, problems may go unnoticed until they start affecting users or applications. Additionally, real-time monitoring allows you to maintain high availability and smooth operations, especially in environments where every second of database uptime counts.
- Query Performance Analysis: Poorly written or inefficient queries can cause major slowdowns in your database operations. Having a monitoring tool in such a case that helps perform query performance analysis and identifies which queries are taking too long to execute, running too frequently, or blocking other processes is a big advantage. Further, this feature will enable admins to drill down into each query’s performance history and execution plan. Some tools also suggest query optimizations or index improvements based on performance trends.
- Custom Alerts and Notifications: Being notified at the right time can make all the difference when it comes to database issues. That’s why custom alerts and notifications are a must-have feature in your monitoring tool. Make sure your tool allows you to set up your own thresholds for different metrics like alerting you when CPU usage goes above 85% or when a query takes longer than expected. These alerts can be sent through email, SMS, or integrated with third-party apps like Slack or Microsoft Teams. Thus, reducing downtime and improving overall system reliability.
- Historical Data and Trend Analysis: While real-time monitoring is a key feature, having access to historical performance data is equally important. A good monitoring tool should keep detailed records of past performance metrics, query execution times, error logs, and more. This allows admins to review how their SQL Server environment has behaved over time and spot long-term trends.
- Dashboard and Visualization Tools: An intuitive and easy-to-understand dashboard makes all the difference when you’re trying to keep an eye on multiple metrics at once. Look for a monitoring solution that offers visual tools such as graphs, heat maps, performance charts, and drill-down views. These visualizations can make complex data easier to understand, helping you quickly identify abnormal behavior or bottlenecks. A customizable dashboard also means you can focus on what matters most to your business or team.
- Security and Compliance Monitoring: Security is another important aspect when looking for SQL Server monitoring. Your monitoring tool should track login attempts, permission changes, failed access attempts, and data modification patterns. This helps identify unusual activity that could indicate a security threat, such as SQL injection attacks or unauthorized data access. Some tools also provide built-in compliance reports to help you meet data security standards like GDPR, HIPAA, or SOX. With these features in your selected tool, you can prevent data breaches and other threats.
- Integration with Other IT Tools: A good SQL Server monitoring tool should not work in isolation. Instead, it must be capable enough to integrate well with other IT tools and platforms you use for logging, alerting, automation, and ticketing. These integrations may help streamline incident response, automate workflows, and reduce manual effort.
- Pricing and Licensing: Different features and price points are available for each tool. Before deciding on a product, be sure to evaluate each tool and its overall cost. To evaluate the product and make sure it fits your business needs, some platforms, or vendors even provide free trial periods.
- Support and Documentation: A buyer needs to concentrate on more than just having the features that are required. It is equally important to review the available support services and user community resources. After the purchase, having access to thorough documentation and a vibrant community is really beneficial.
The best SQL Server monitoring software
There are hundreds of tools available in the market claiming the best features and performance in return for a good price. But deciding the right one could have been a challenge, so we reviewed and shortlisted some of the best ones that can provide long-term success. Take a quick look at our reviewed and recommended SQL server monitoring tools. Check and compare each tool before making a final call.
1. Paessler SQL monitoring software PRTG (FREE TRIAL)
Best for: Small to mid-size enterprises looking for a tool that helps monitor Oracle SQL, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MS SQL servers from a single console and generates detailed database insights must invest in this tool.
Price: Buyers can invest their time in the free trial version and test the features for a limited period, or request a quote by visiting the official page.
Next up we have Paessler SQL monitoring software PRTG, part of the PRTG suite, a network monitor that also offers a range of SQL monitoring features. With this tool, you can monitor Microsoft SQL, Oracle SQL, MySQL, and PostgreSQL for signs of performance degradation. This process is made simple because Paessler SQL monitoring software PRTG has preconfigured sensor templates for all the most popular databases.
PRTG’s Key Features:
- Query performance: Measures execution time
- Server monitoring: Tracks the usage and availability of resources for databases
- Improvement recommendations: Query and database optimization
Unique Buying Proposition
It is an all-in-one monitoring tool that helps track different SQL environments and enables team members to easily process SQL queries return values. Further, collect real-time data and identify the root cause of database errors.
Feature-in-Focus: Provides 250 prebuilt SQL Server sensors with customizable query monitoring
What really stands out to users in Paessler SQL monitoring software is access to 250 pre-built SQL Server sensors and customization options that help them easily monitor SQL queries.
Why do we recommend it?
Paessler SQL Monitoring is part of the PRTG system. PRTG is an interesting on-premises package that runs on Windows Server and it is now also offered as a SaaS package. The PRTG system monitors networks, servers, and applications and it is composed of a very large package of sensors. Each sensor is a specialized monitor with its own display screens and there is a sensor available for SQL Server. You can let the tool watch SQL Server instances by itself because it will generate an alert if a problem arises. You choose which of the other sensors to turn on, so you create your own customized monitoring package.
Some of the sensors that Paessler SQL monitoring software PRTG comes equipped with out of the box include Microsoft SQL v2 Sensor, Oracle SQL v2 Sensor, MySQL v2 Sensor, PostgreSQL Sensor, and ADO SQL v2 Sensor. Each of these sensors has its own unique view and provides you with the key metrics relating to that individual server. For instance, the Microsoft SQL v2 Sensor tells you the execution time of the request, execution time of the query, number of affected rows, and downtime.
Outside of these unique sensor tools, Paessler SQL monitoring software PRTG also has a range of additional features like notifications. You can schedule alerts to determine when you will receive notifications for performance data events within your SQL Servers. Once an alert has been triggered you will be sent a notification via email or SMS. If you have the PRTG Network Monitor App on iOS and Android, then you can also receive the alert there.
Who is it recommended for?
The recent addition of a SaaS version means that it is difficult to imagine any business to which PRTG is not suited. The service is priced as an allowance of sensors, starting at 500. So, you fit together the combination that covers the specific technology on your sites. You don’t end up paying for functionality that you don’t need. Small businesses will also be interested in PRTG because if you only activate 100 sensors, you never have to pay for the package.
Pros:
- Flexible monitoring package: Choose which sensors to activate
- Database monitoring: For SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, SAP, and PostgreSQL
- Full stack monitoring: Network, server, and application monitors are available
Cons:
- Not for Linux: Available for Windows Server or as a SaaS package
Paessler SQL monitoring software PRTG is one of the best SQL monitors for Windows devices. There is a freeware version of PRTG Network Monitor that lets you monitor up to 100 sensors without cost. From then on the prices range from $1,750 – $15,500 (£1,321 – £11,701) depending on the number of sensors you want. The cheapest paid version is PRTG 500 which offers 500 sensors for $1,750 (£1,321). The largest version is PRTG XL1 which offers unlimited sensors for $15,500 (£11,701). There is also a 30-day free trial of Paessler SQL monitoring software PRTG for evaluation.
2. ManageEngine Applications Manager (FREE TRIAL)
Best for: Businesses running Microsoft SQL Server databases on Windows, Linux, Docker containers, or Azure. Ideal for teams looking for a single monitoring solution that works across multiple environments.
Price: For quotes, it is best to visit the official page and make a request to the sales team. But, the three editions available for buyers – Free, professional, and enterprise offer 30-day trial sessions.
ManageEngine produces a range of IT infrastructure monitoring tools and SQL Server monitoring is part of its Applications Manager. This tool can be combined with other monitoring modules from ManageEngine to create a full IT support monitoring and management service.
ManageEngine Applications Manager Key Features:
- Database performance: Monitor database response times
- Physical server monitoring: Tracks the availability and usage of resources
- Tracks resource locks: Explains performance issues
Unique Buying Proposition
The tool’s ability to monitor SQL server deadlocks and cache performance metrics makes it a great option. Further, its ability to seamlessly integrate across apps.
Feature-in-Focus: Monitors SQL Server memory to flag cache issues, inefficient plans, locks
The ability to monitor your SQL server memory is one of the key features as it enables team members to stay updated about low cache memory, inefficient query plans, and identify heavy locking.
Why do we recommend it?
ManageEngine Applications Manager is a similar system to the Datadog Infrastructure package. The big difference between the two is that the ManageEngine system is a software package. You can install it on your own servers or on an account on AWS and Azure. However, even when you run it on a cloud platform, it isn’t a SaaS package and you keep full control. This tool monitors SQL Server instances in conjunction with all of the other applications, services, and server resources that interconnect with your SQL Server databases and it maps them, so you can see those relationships. The ManageEngine service provides instant root cause analysis when things go wrong.
The monitoring tool watches live database statuses including the performance of database services, such as memory and disk space usage and cache and buffer performance. The Applications Manager also records the utilization of database structures, such as tablespaces, and will warn the DBA if space is running out.
Database tuning services are also included in the SQL Server monitoring service. This includes analysis of database objects per type and also run-throughs of synthetic transactions to test queries on a database to spot which objects are badly implemented. Analysis tools also support SQL tuning.
The SQL Server monitoring section of Applications Manager is tabbed, which makes it easy to switch between screens of live data and access analytical features. The database monitoring capabilities of this tool are not limited to SQL Server. The Applications Manager will monitor a long list of database management systems, including Oracle, SAP, PostgreSQL, and MySQL. So, it is a suitable support service for mixed DBMS environments.
Who is it recommended for?
ManageEngine Applications Manager is in direct competition with the SolarWinds and Datadog services on this list. It is suitable for mid-sized and large organizations. However, ManageEngine has an ace up its sleeve that gives it a foot in the door in the small business market. This is a Free edition that provides a less complicated service for up to five hosts.
Pros:
- Tracks replication issues: Publications, subscriptions, and agents
- Performance tuning: Recommends query and database optimization
- Database monitoring: Also monitors DB2, Oracle, Sybase, PostgreSQL, Informix, SAP, and MySQL
Cons:
- Not a SaaS platform: Software for Windows Server, Linux, AWS, and Azure
The ManageEngine Applications Manager monitors server statuses as well, so all of the monitoring capabilities for the statuses of the underlying hardware is included along with the SQL monitoring capabilities with one package. The tool includes a wide range of application monitoring screens and it will monitor those systems that rely on databases, such as web servers. The Applications Manager installs on Windows Server and Linux and ManageEngine makes in available for a 30-day free trial.
3. Site24x7 SQL Server Monitoring (FREE TRIAL)
Best for: Organizations looking for a tool that helps reduce the number of unnecessary or poorly managed servers and keep your SQL Server running smoothly all the time must invest in this tool.
Price: The tool offers various editions, but for quotes, the buyer must reach out to the sales team directly. Buyers can even download the free trial for testing purposes.
Site24x7 is a cloud-based platform of monitoring tools. The tools are bundled into packages and the Site24x7 Infrastructure plan includes database monitoring. The service is able to monitor SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Cassandra, DB2, MongoDB, VoltDB, CouchDB, and ClickHouse databases.
Site24x7 SQL Server Monitoring’s Key Features:
- Full stack observability: Part of a package to monitor networks, servers, and applications
- Cloud-based: A SaaS package
- Database capacity planning: Measures resource requirements
Unique Buying Proposition
From a buyer’s standpoint, Site24x7 is a perfect option for businesses as it offers in-depth insights about SQL performance covering errors, SQL compilations, transaction time, etc.
Feature-in-Focus: Tracks SQL Server memory and buffer manager metrics
During our hands-on testing, we found that the Site24x7 can be a great help for DevOps as it helps go through more intensive portions. Further, it helps buyers easily track memory and buffer manager details.
Why do we recommend it?
Site24x7 SQL Server Monitoring is provided by a cloud platform, which makes it a similar proposal to the package offered by Datadog. The Site24x7 is produced by the same company behind ManageEngine, so you will find similarities to the Applications Manager in this system as well. The big difference between this SaaS package and its big rivals is that Site24x7 offers its application and services monitoring utilities as part of a package of full-stack monitoring systems. So, you get network and server monitoring along with SQL Server and application monitoring.
The monitoring system requires an agent program to be installed on the system that contains the database to be supervised. However, that doesn’t have to be on the same server because the tool is able to reach databases across a network. It can unify the monitoring of databases on several different sites and also include cloud-based databases.
The Site24x7 Infrastructure service searches an enrolled system and creates an application stack map that identifies the dependencies of applications that serve a user-facing software package. The system is particularly strong at monitoring websites, where databases play an important supporting role.
The SQL Server examines the structure of a database instance, examining its data file size, log file size, and log cache hit ratio. The monitor watches SQL execution and records factors such as errors, replications, SQL compilations, and longest transaction time. It spots problems with resource locking and index inefficiencies. It also explores the resources of the server that supports the database and identifies the effects of each transaction on attributes such as CPU, memory, and disk space.
The SQL Server monitor includes an alerting mechanism that notifies technicians when performance drops or resources approach full capacity.
Site24x7 Infrastructure includes network, server, and website monitoring features as well as database monitoring. There is a 30-day free trial available for the monitoring system.
Who is it recommended for?
The SQL Server monitoring feature in Site24x7 is an extensive package that provides capacity planning, live activity monitoring, and log management, so it will be a great tool for DBAs. However, all of the other tools in the typical Site24x7 package will be needed by other administrators in the business, such as the network manager. So, this platform will be shared throughout the IT Department for automated performance monitoring and facilities management. This is a package that is suitable for use by mid-sized and large organizations. There is a Free edition for small businesses, but it doesn’t include application monitoring, so you can’t use it to watch over your SQL Server instances.
Pros:
- SQL Server logs: Gathers and analyzes logs
- Performance issues: Identifies reasons for poor response times
- Database design: Guidance for indexing and table partitioning
Cons:
- No on-premises version: This is a cloud-based system
Site24x7 Infrastructure is resident in the cloud, so it doesn’t need to be downloaded or installed. The maintenance for the software, processing power, and storage for the data that the monitor generates are all included in the price. The Web-based dashboard for the system includes customizable screens and it can be accessed from anywhere with any standard Web browser. The service costs $9 per month when paid for annually.
4. Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud (FREE TRIAL)
Best for: If security and recovery are your major concern, this product is a perfect fit for your business. Enterprises prioritizing security over other aspects must try this product.
Price: Starting from $68 per year, buyers can opt for the paid version or try the product by visiting the official page.
Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud is a SaaS package of system and data security measures that is designed for use by managed service providers (MSPs). The package includes Acronis Cyber Backup, which gives MSPs the opportunity to offer their clients a data backup and recovery service that includes cloud storage. The system also includes secure day-to-day file sharing and syncing features for the users on the endpoints covered by the Cyber Protect plan.
Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud’s Key Features:
- Data backup: For servers, files, and database files
- Anti-virus: Detects a range of malware, including ransomware
- Data loss prevention: Guards data against theft
Unique Buying Proposition
One thing users will appreciate in this tool is it has a system security auditing module that makes the product stand out from the rest.
Feature-in-Focus: Automates antivirus scanning during backup procedures
Automated AV scanning in backup procedures is one of the key features that make it a unique product. With this feature in hand, businesses can prevent ransomware.
Why do we recommend it?
Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud is one edition of a suite of Acronis Cyber Protect systems and this one is aimed at managed service providers – there are other editions for direct system administration. This package is included here because, among its system-wide security monitoring services, it includes specific procedures to protect data in databases, including in SQL Server instances. This package includes malware protection and intruder detection. Perhaps the most important feature is its instant backup service that can quickly recover data if it is damaged or deleted.
The Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud system isn’t a full RMM solution. Instead, it is able to integrate with your current RMM and PSA systems to implement system-wide security and also log the chargeable services that the package offers.
Each individual service in the Acronis bundle can be turned on or off for each client. Therefore, the security services included in the package can be offered to each MSP customer as a menu of add-on modules. You don’t have to provide all of the Acronis security features to all of your customers.
The Acronis package can be white-labeled and its systems are supported with marketing and training material that helps the MSP present and explain the benefits of each security feature. Billing and contract negotiation are eased by the service reporting capabilities built into the Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud package.
The security features in the Acronis bundle offer a full range of endpoint and data protection services, which include insider threat detection, anti-malware, and Web-based threat scans and controls.
The system includes automated playbooks for threat remediation and data recovery. The threat detection processes in the Acronis package are based on AI-built baselining. Data security services extend to corporate services, such as file transfers and email systems, and can be managed by the customer’s administrator or an MSP technician to apply different data activity access permissions for different roles and user accounts. The Acronis SaaS package also includes a threat intelligence feed.
Naturally, communications between client sites and endpoints and the MSP technician console are also scanned and protected. The system includes threat reporting that provides source material for MSP security analysts to offer enhanced threat protection analysis to clients. The Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud toolbox also includes a system security auditing module that will support add-on consultancy security services that the MSP might want to offer to their clients.
Backup procedures in Acronis include automated AV scanning to prevent ransomware from working into your data stores. Recovery procedures also scan for malicious data infection in order to prevent re-infection of a client’s restored system. Backups are offered as both full disk and file-level options, which provides the MSP with a range of system protection strategies to offer to their clients.
Who is it recommended for?
As explained, Acronis Cyber PRtoect is a package for managed service providers. The tool focuses on security monitoring so the MSP will also need to find a performance monitoring tool for SQL Server instances.
Pros:
- Backup to cloud: Get cloud storage for repositories from Acronis
- Application backup: Backs up Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace
- Quick data recovery: Also offers business continuity
Cons:
- No specific processes for backing up databases: Extract data and backup the files
Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud is a subscription service and you can assess the package with a 30-day free trial.
5. Datadog SQL Server Monitoring
Best for: Businesses looking for a centralized system that even provides end-to-end visibility into the database and SQL servers must opt for this affordable tool.
Price: Businesses can opt for the free tool or choose from the paid versions available starting from $15 per month. For more information on other editions, visit the official website.
The Datadog Infrastructure Monitoring service is a cloud package that can monitor databases. The Datadog system can be enhanced with specialist plugins, called “integrations” and there is one available for SQL Server.
Datadog SQL Server Monitoring Key Features:
- Cloud-based: A SaaS package
- Base package: Part of the Infrastructure Monitoring module
- Integration: One of a library of extensions for the Infrastructure package
- Server monitoring: Watches supporting resources
- Query speed: Records slow-running queries
Unique Buying Proposition
Datadog’s unified database monitoring gives your team a clear view of what’s happening inside your databases, across different systems. Whether it’s MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or something else, your team can track performance, queries, and more.
Feature-in-Focus: Allows viewing slow queries without settings changes or data access
Your developer can view slow queries affecting the app’s performance, but can’t accidentally change settings or access private customer data thanks to its excellent read-only access feature.
Why do we recommend it?
Datadog SQL Server Monitoring is provided by a unit on the Datadog cloud platform called Datadog Infrastructure. This package can be extended by add-ons, which are called “integrations.” There is an integration for SQL Server and this adds on extra screens and sensors. Invoking the SQL Server extension doesn’t remove the original infrastructure monitoring services of the package. So, you get live SQL Server instance performance monitoring in the context of service and server resource availability. Automated alert-based monitoring lets an administrator instantly see the root cause of any system problem involving SQL Server databases.
Data gathering for the monitoring service is performed by an agent but all processing is performed on the Datadog servers. Although the Datadog agents can be installed on Linux as well as Windows, the agent that monitors SQL Server will only install on Windows.
Installing the SQL Server integration doesn’t block the Datadog Infrastructure Monitoring from also monitoring other applications, rather, it adds specialized screens to the console for that account.
The console for Datadog is resident on the cloud server and it can be accessed through any browser. As it does not need to be installed on-site, Datadog Infrastructure Monitoring is able to monitor SQL server instances resident on remote sites and also those running on cloud servers.
We particularly like how you can query parameters like throughput, connections, execution performance, and buffer-pool use in real-time. Drag-and-drop functionality in the console makes your life easier
Who is it recommended for?
Although Datadog offers affordable per-host pricing, that should make the SQL Server monitoring package of Datadog appealing to small businesses. However, the complexity of this platform is probably more than a small business needs. This tool is more suited to mid-sized and large businesses that are heavily dependent on SQL Server databases for their success.
Pros:
- Performance alerts: Set up performance expectations that will trigger warnings if breached
- Demand observations: Records demand on database interfaces
- Processing volumes: Records throughput activity
- Capacity planning: Sees whether a database is undersupplied with resources
- Combined monitoring: Builds to a fuller service when combined with network, server, and web application monitoring
Cons:
- One part of a wider package: This is not a dedicated SQL Server package – Infrastructure Monitoring has many other functions
Datadog Infrastructure Monitoring is charged for by subscription with a monthly fee and also a lower annual rate available. That is a rate per host. The service is also available with an App Analytics add-on.
6. Checkmk
Best for: Organizations running diverse IT environments might find it an ideal option. Whether your databases are hosted on Linux, Windows, Solaris, AIX, or HP-UX, Checkmk ensures reliable, efficient monitoring across all platforms. It’s especially effective in hybrid infrastructures, allowing you to monitor both cross-platform databases and OS-specific database setups—all from a unified interface.
Price: The tool offers no information on pricing, but a free trial option is available. Buyers can even submit their request for quotes from the website.
Checkmk is an infrastructure monitoring system for networks, servers, and applications. The system can be enhanced with product-specific plugins. Checkmk has more than one plugin for SQL servers and supports for example Microsoft SQL Server, MariaDB, MySQL, Oracle, and PostgreSQL.
Checkmk Key Features:
- Monitors databases on-premises and on the cloud: SQL Server and Azure SQL
- Tracks supporting servers: Watches resource usage and availability
- Metric extraction: Via system table queries
Unique Buying Proposition
Apart from monitoring and measuring basic metrics, the powerful tool enables businesses to even track their database availability, table size, cache ratios and many other metrics. Further, allows tracking the health and performance of different databases supported by the tool.
Feature-in-Focus: Provides Oracle monitoring via a single plugin with deep metrics
Checkmk simplifies Oracle database monitoring by using just one powerful plugin—eliminating the need for complex configurations or multiple tools. Beyond basic metrics like table spaces, user connections, and active sessions, you get in-depth performance data for each Oracle instance.
Why do we recommend it?
Checkmk is a full-stack monitoring system that is offered in a number of editions – two of which are free to use. This package is similar to the proposals offered by Site24x7 and PRTG because it enables the monitoring of networks, servers, and applications. The SQL Server monitoring section of the Checkmk system looks at the resource activity within each instance. Outside the database, the tool watches interactions with other applications and also server resources. The addition of automated network monitoring completes the full system picture that can tell you the exact cause of any performance problems as soon as they arise.
The SQL Server monitor is able to track the performance of factors such as database connections, blocked sessions, cache hit ratio, tablespace resources, resource locks, backup performance, and database file sizes.
The monitor watches the interactions with host services and tracks processes, disk usage, and memory usage. The system also monitors the access to the network interface and the flow of database interactions across the network.
Checkmk is very easy to set up because it includes autodiscovery processes. These will search the network for every device and then scan each device to log all of the services that it hosts. SQL Server isn’t the only DBMS that Checkmk can monitor. It also monitors Oracle, MongoDB, MySQL, and PostgreSQL, among others.
Who is it recommended for?
This tool would benefit DBAs.The wider monitoring package provided by Checkmk can be used by other administrators of IT assets within the business. This is a very large package and its database monitoring services aren’t limited to SQL Server. Small businesses will opt for either of the two free editions of Checkmk.
Pros:
- Alerts: Trigger on shortages or response delays
- Multiple DBMSs: Monitors SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, SAP, and DB2
- Multiple platforms: Windows, Linux, AIX, Solaris, and HP-UX
Cons:
- On-premises software: No SaaS version
Checkmk is offered in two editions. The Raw edition is a fork of Nagios Core and it is free to use. Checkmk also wrote its own proprietary infrastructure monitoring suite and there is a Free version of that, too. The full version of the paid system, which is called Enterprise Standard, has no limits on its capacity. There is also a version for managed service providers, called Enterprise Managed Services. You can access a 30-day free trial download.
7. Idera SQL Diagnostic Manager
Best for: Organizations looking for a smarter SQL Server management system that is safe and delivers faster results must try this product.
Price: Buyers can try the free trial session or make a request to the sales team for more updates on the product.
If you’re looking for more of a specialist SQL monitoring software product then Idera SQL Diagnostic Manager is the product for you. With Idera SQL Diagnostic Manager you can monitor SQL server databases in physical and virtual environments. You can view performance data on server CPU, memory, hard disk, and network usage. With this information, you can see if a server is experiencing difficulties.
Idera SQL Diagnostic Manager’s Key Features:
- Monitors infrastructure: Monitors servers, virtualization, and cloud platforms that support databases
- Live performance monitoring: Tracks the response times of SQL Server databases
- Predictive alerts: Head off performance issues impacting users
Unique Buying Proposition
In my professional opinion, IDERA is a unique buying proposition. The tool allows admins to monitor assets, find, and fix SQL Server fragmentation hot spots in real-time.
Feature-in-Focus: Monitors MySQL and MariaDB performance without overloading servers
The SQL diagnostic manager enables team members to monitor all MySQL and MariaDB performance without overloading servers.
Why do we recommend it?
Idera SQL Diagnostic Manager is packaged in two versions: one for SQL Server and one for MySQL. This system includes live performance monitoring as well as analysis of problems with database structures and SQL queries. The tool has an alerting mechanism that lets DBAs know when there is a gathering problem that needs to be dealt with, such as excessive locks or slow-running queries.
To get the most out of this program, you’re likely to need the SQL Query Tuner add-on. This add-on helps you to discover and diagnose SQL queries that are performing poorly. It does this by creating a graphical representation of the data so that you can see what is going on more clearly.
Predictive alerts is one of the most useful features offered by Idera SQL Diagnostic Monitor. You can configure custom thresholds for an SQL server activity alert so that you receive a notification once this trigger condition happens. This product also provides you with expert recommendations so that once an issue occurs you can run an automatic script to solve the problem. There is also specific guidance and online content to help you to fix performance issues as they occur.
Who is it recommended for?
The name of this system implies that it analyzes SQL and recommends improvements but, in fact, the SQL Query Tuner is an add-on function and not the main purpose of the system. This is a monitor for live activities in SQL Server instances and it tracks the utilization and availability of resources. This is a useful DBA tool for automated monitoring.
Pros:
- Manages availability groups: Creates high availability
- Identifies locks: Explains why the database stopped responding
- Fragmentation: Remediate fragmentation events
Cons:
- Runs on Windows and Windows Server: No cloud version
Idera SQL Diagnostic Manager is available for Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008 SP2, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, and Windows Server 2019. You can purchase a single license of Idera SQL Diagnostic Manager for $997.60 (£753). There is also a 14-day free trial.
8. SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer for SQL Server
Best for: Organizations operating in hybrid or cloud-native environments might find it an ideal choice. It supports database workloads running on Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud, making it a reliable solution for teams managing multi-cloud strategies. In addition, DPA offers virtualized database performance monitoring for VMware vSphere, ensuring performance visibility even in complex, virtual infrastructures.
Price: Buyers can apply for the demo session or request a quote by directly visiting the website.
SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer for SQL Server (DPA) has been designed as a complete server monitoring solution for modern networking. With SolarWinds DPA for SQL Server you can monitor SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, DB2, SAP ASE, and Cloud servers from one centralized location. One of the main focuses of this product is finding the root cause of performance faults.
SolarWinds Key Features:
- Cross-platform: Monitors databases on-premises and on the cloud
- Built for Windows Server: On-premises software package
- Performance anomalies: Looks for deviations in request processing speed
- Alerts: Raie on resource shortages or performance drops
Unique Buying Proposition
SolarWinds DPA sets itself apart with its machine learning-powered anomaly detection. This feature intelligently learns your system’s normal behavior over time and highlights deviations that might indicate emerging issues. By leveraging machine learning, DPA delivers smarter insights and more accurate alerts, allowing database administrators to respond quickly and efficiently to potential problems—before they impact users or business operations.
Feature-in-Focus: Detects database activity anomalies with continuous monitoring and alerts
SolarWinds DPA enhances your database performance strategy with built-in anomaly detection tools. It continuously monitors database activity and alerts you to unusual behavior—such as sudden workload shifts, maintenance tasks running during peak hours, or any deviations from expected patterns.
Why do we recommend it?
SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer is able to track activities on SQL Server as well as many other DBMSs. The tool can watch over multiple DBMSs simultaneously and multiple instances per DBMS. The tool is able to monitor databases running on Windows Server and Linux and also cloud databases. This is a summarizing system that provides automated monitoring with alerts that identify emerging performance problems.
The user is provided with a data collection engine to view the raw server usage data. This includes a graph detailing how the SQL server performance metrics have changed over time which can be viewed in five unique ways (Summary, CPU, Memory, Disk, and Network). To get to the root cause of performance issues, it allows you to use metrics such as wait times, users, files, and objects to find out what the problem is.
What makes it one of the best SQL Server monitoring tools is that it has a low overhead cost on system resources. This means that you can run the program while having a minimal impact on your network performance.
Uses machine learning for anomaly detection and provides real-time and historical data.
Who is it recommended for?
This package is a DBA support tool. It not only provides automated monitoring but it will give you assessments of indexing that is adjusted according to the types of activities that dominate database usage. The tool will also highlight inefficient queries. Although the database and query analysis services in the package provide useful information for developers. This is not really intended for use directly by designers and developers but can provide information that the DBA can input into any design team.
Pros:
- Query optimization: Spots slow running queries and recommends changes
- Database tuning: Recommends changes to database object to suit access patterns
- Virtualization monitoring: Tracks the activity of VMware vSphere
- Physical server monitoring: Records the availability of supporting resources
Cons:
- Only for Windows: Doesn’t run on macOS or Linux
SolarWinds DBA is not only scalable but can also be integrated with other tools like SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor and Storage Resource Monitor, meaning that you can expand the monitoring experience based on your own requirements. The price starts at $1,170 (£883). There is also a 14-day free trial.
OS: Any physical or virtual Windows or Linux server that supports JRE v11
The combination of the Database Performance Analyzer and the Server & Application Monitor provides root cause analysis for performance issues. The bundle is called the Application Performance Optimization Pack
9. dbWatch Database Control
Best for: Designed for organizations that demand robust, scalable, and centralized database management. It is ideal for large enterprises, service providers, and other mission-critical environments that require reliable database performance across distributed systems.
Price: No information on pricing, but users can get a demo or submit a request for quotes.
The dbWatch Database Control package isn’t part of a wider general server or application monitor. It is a specialized SQL server database monitoring system.
dbWatch Database Control Key Features:
- Multi-platform: Monitors databases running on-premises, on virtualizations, and on the cloud
- Multiple DBMSs: SQL Server, Azure, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Sybase, MariaDB, and MySQL
- Datacenter service: Database farm management
Unique Buying Proposition
What sets dbWatch Control Center apart is its ability to integrate all aspects of database management into a single, cohesive platform. In addition to monitoring, it also offers automated maintenance, helping teams streamline repetitive tasks and reduce manual overhead.
Feature-in-Focus: Consolidates monitoring for SQL Server, Azure SQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL
dbWatch Control Center offers deep, comprehensive monitoring for a wide range of database technologies—including SQL Server, Azure SQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Sybase, MariaDB, and MySQL. Instead of juggling multiple tools, database administrators get a single, integrated solution that provides detailed performance metrics and health insights across all supported platforms.
This tool is capable of monitoring several databases at once and it isn’t restricted to working with just one database brand. The tool is able to monitor SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, MariaDB, MySQL, and Postgres databases. It also doesn’t have a problem with watching over the coordination of clusters created with Oracle and SQL Server. This is a universal solution that can monitor cloud-based databases managed by Azure SQL as well as on-site implementations, It can even handle hybrid environments.
Why do we recommend it?
dbWatch Database Control is a pure database monitoring system and not a systemwide monitor with database monitoring capabilities like many of the tools above. This system can monitor and manage SQL Server, MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Oracle, and Sybase databases simultaneously. It will aggregate statistics for all DBMSs and also for all instances of each DBMS. You can then drill down in the console and examine each instance. It can monitor on-premises and cloud-located systems together.
The environment allows you to view live data on database events and these views can be accessed on a per-database basis or as aggregated data across a selection of databases or all databases. The pre-written reports that come with the system are also available to log both an individual database or across all of your instances.
It doesn’t matter where your databases are located because dbWatch centralizes access to them whether they are onsite, in the Cloud, or on a remote site. The tool is available for all sizes of enterprises, thanks to a scalable pricing structure. However, the minimum license size covers ten databases, so it probably wouldn’t be suitable for very small enterprises.
The software for dbWatch is available for download and installs on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux servers. The package is available in three plan levels.
Who is it recommended for?
Businesses that have many and varied DBMSs to watch over need this system. Organizations that are not so database-intensive probably won’t need all of the power of this tool. The performance alerts in this system relieve busy DBAs from having to watch over all databases all of the time, so the dbWatch system really squeezes value for money out of a DBA’s wages.
Pros:
- Monitors services to the database: Connections, memory, disk, and CPU
- Database performance: Query response times
- Deployment options: Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux
Cons:
- Not for small businesses: Minimum license size covers 10 database instances
The lowest of these, dbWatch Essentials, will give you SQL Server monitoring and will also cover any other DBMS implementations. The next plan up, dbWatch Professional, includes maintenance automation and SQL Server and Oracle license management functions. The top package, dbWatch Enterprise, has all of the facilities of the lower two packages plus cluster support, security monitoring via Active Directory, database autodiscovery, and the ability to extract data out in CSV format for import into Excel. You can try out dbWatch Essentials risk-free on a 30-day free trial.
10. AimBetter
Best for: AimBetter is an excellent choice for organizations that depend heavily on Microsoft SQL Server for their mission-critical applications. It’s especially well-suited for businesses that require real-time performance monitoring.
Price: The tool is available starting from $270. For more quotes, visit the page and submit your request.
AimBetter is a SaaS package that was developed by SQL Server experts. The tool assesses your database structures to offer guidance on object optimization and then watches over the activities of your instances. The design of your database is very dependent on how it is used – for example, a system that experiences many inserts has different indexing requirements to tables that are only ever referenced. So, AimBetter gathers information on how best to tune your database by recording how it is used.
AimBetter Key Features:
- Real-time problem solving: Delivered from the cloud
- Examines assets: Watches over SQL Server, IIS, Amazon RDS, and Oracle
- Operating system examination: Windows, Azure, and Linux
Unique Buying Proposition
What makes AimBetter stand out is its ability to pinpoint performance issues with precision. Whether they originate from application-level code errors, inefficient query execution plans, OS-level constraints, or hardware limitations. From a professional standpoint, this is an amazing buying point as its multi-layered insight helps eliminate guesswork, enabling teams to act quickly and accurately.
Feature-in-Focus: Identifies root causes and resolves performance issues in real time
AimBetter delivers complete visibility and control over your SQL Server environment, empowering you to diagnose and resolve performance issues in real time. Leveraging powerful computing capabilities and advanced algorithms, the platform rapidly identifies the root cause of issues.
Why do we recommend it?
AimBetter is a cloud-based database performance monitor. This is a very similar service to the Idera package above, which is an on-premises system. The AimBetter platform is able to deliver live monitoring for SQL Server, Azure SQL, Oracle, and Amazon RS. It performs statistical analysis on queries while watching resource capacity in order to predict resource shortages. Its activity monitoring also extends to security alerts based on anomalous behavior detection.
The performance monitoring service in AimBetter tracks more than 400 metrics. It looks at how the DBMS interacts with its underlying host’s resources and can spot when space and memory allocations need to be resized. The service will help you to improve the structure of your SQL Server instances.
The performance monitor includes automated alerts, which will warn you of developing problems. However, this isn’t just a monitoring package – it is a managed service. You also get the advice of expert SQL Server consultants on how you should improve your databases to get better performance. The experts will only advise you, making those changes is still up to you. However, on a managed service plan, you can get AimBetter to provide the DBAs as well.
Who is it recommended for?
The AimBetters system can watch over databases that are hosted on-premises or in the cloud. It is a suitable tool for businesses of all sizes but large organizations with many databases would benefit most from its database monitoring services. This is an automated monitoring system with alerts to support DBAs.
Pros:
- Database functions: Performance monitoring and optimization recommendations
- Examines conflicts: Checks that security systems aren’t blocking database access
- Query optimization: Response time tracking
Cons:
- No price list: This is a customized service
AimBetter is a cloud service and so you don’t need to install the system on your own site. This configuration is preferable as most SQL Server databases are themselves hosted on cloud servers and form part of other services, such as Web hosting. You need to install an agent on the server that hosts your databases. The AimBetter package includes data retention for historical analysis and also analytical tools to mine that information.
The AimBetter dashboard can be accessed through a Web browser or a dedicated mobile app. You can try out the AimBetter service by requesting a free trial.
11. Lepide SQL Server Auditing
Best for: Lepide SQL Server Auditor is ideal for organizations that prioritize data security, compliance, and accountability within their SQL Server environments.
Price: The tool offers no information on pricing. However, you have the option to get a demo or submit a request for quotes.
Lepide SQL Server Auditing provides a solid server auditing experience for monitoring SQL instances. With Lepide SQL Server Auditing all changes made to the configuration of SQL users, permissions, triggers, SQL server databases, and logins are saved as audit data. This is great for tracking how SQL configurations change over time and keeping on top of what is going on.
Lepide SQL Server Auditing Key Features:
- Change documentation: Identifies configuration and permissions changes
- Database object tracking: Records changes to objects
- Alerts: Let the DBA know about unauthorized changes
Unique Buying Proposition
Lepide sets itself apart with its ability to comprehensively track and audit every change made to SQL Server configurations, user accounts, login activities, and permissions. This ensures that no action goes unnoticed, helping organizations detect potential threats, enforce least-privilege access, and stay compliant with regulatory mandates.
Feature-in-Focus: Audits SQL Server configuration changes with who, what, when, where
With Lepide SQL Server Auditor, organizations gain full visibility into all configuration changes across their SQL Server instances. The platform captures and audits every modification—whether it’s to SQL users, permissions, logins, triggers, databases, or other key elements—ensuring that administrators can track who did what, when, and where.
Why do we recommend it?
Lepide SQL Server Auditing is a security tool that logs all changes to important table entries, such as user accounts and privileged access account information. As well as generating log records for data changes, the Ledide system will raise an alert for each event. The package also includes compliance reporting templates.
The Lepide SQL Server Auditing platform also allows you to monitor the health of connected SQL Servers. Lepide SQL Server Auditing monitors servers and provides you with data on usage, CPU usage, connections, and error rates. If a server goes down then you will be notified by an alert. Alerts are sent as console updates, emails, and push notifications from the LepideAuditor App.
Who is it recommended for?
The Lepide database auditing system is particularly important for businesses that need to comply with data protection standards, such as GDPR, CCPA, SOX, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. The tool would be managed by a DBA but an INformation SEcurity OFficer would also need access to the system.
Pros:
- Audit reports: Suitable for PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, GDPR, and CCPA
- Multiple instances: Tracks multiple database instances simultaneously
- Windows and Windows Server: No versions for macOS or Linux
Cons:
- No price list: Deters small businesses
You can download Lepide SQL Server Auditing on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2016. If you want to know the price of Lepide SQL Server Monitoring then you’ll need to contact the sales team directly. Lepide also offers a free trial of this software.
12. Red-Gate SQL Monitor
Best for: Redgate Monitor is best suited for teams managing diverse and distributed database environments. Whether you’re running SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Oracle, MySQL, or MongoDB, Redgate Monitor offers unified visibility.
Price: The tool’s standard plan starts from $1164. More plans are available on the official page, and you can choose from as per your needs.
Red-Gate SQL Monitor is an SQL monitoring solution that offers one of the most modern monitoring experiences on this list. Red-Gate SQL Monitor gives you a Global Overview that allows you to view the health of connected servers from one window. This view shows a color-coded display of server health throughout your network. In the event that a server is down, it will turn red with a fault message. Fault messages include a notification like “Long-running query. sharepoint since 4:22”.
Red-Gate SQL Monitor Key Features:
- Multiple DBMSs: SQL Server and PostgreSQL
- Cross-platform: Monitors on-premises and cloud-based databases
- Simultaneous monitoring: Tracks many database instances simultaneously
Unique Buying Proposition
What sets Redgate Monitor apart is its deep integration of monitoring with platform modernization and cloud strategy. It provides full visibility into both on-premises and cloud-based databases, enabling teams to make informed decisions around cloud migrations, workload optimization, and platform updates.
Feature-in-Focus: Links deployments to performance metrics on the instance timeline
Redgate Monitor goes beyond traditional performance tracking by linking deployment events directly to database performance metrics. Each time a deployment occurs, it’s automatically recorded and displayed on the Instance timeline, giving you immediate context if unusual behavior arises.
Why do we recommend it?
Red-Gate SQL Monitor provides an SQL Server monitoring service for multiple database instances simultaneously. The tool can watch over many databases on different platforms, which could be on-premises, on remote sites, or in the cloud. The console provides a single display for each database with color-coded statuses. The tool will also raise an alert if it discovers a performance issue with one of your instances.
Red-Gate recognizes that even with this Global view it is difficult to keep track of a live network which is why they have their own alerts system. The alerts system comes with 40 preconfigured alerts and can also be customized to send you alerts once a certain threshold has been exceeded. You can set thresholds for memory resource usage, high CPU, disk space, SQL errors, and query performance issues.
One of the most noticeable things about this product is how clear and pristine the graphs and visual displays are. They make it easy to monitor your server health promptly. There is also a reporting module that you can use to further breakdown your data for future analysis. You can export reports to PDF and schedule them to be emailed to you in the future.
Who is it recommended for?
This system is designed to support a central IT support department that manages multiple sites and includes many SQL Server databases. The tool isn’t suitable for small businesses and your organization would need to be running a lot of instances to fully benefit from Red-Gate SQL Monitor.
Pros:
- Performance monitoring: Tracks slow queries
- Diagnosis: Recommendations for query optimization and database tuning
- Alerts: Trigger when performance drops
Cons:
- Windows software: Only available for Windows and Windows Server
In organizations where top-down visibility over lots of different servers is vital, Red-Gate SQL Monitor is an excellent choice. The Global view will provide you with that core dashboard monitoring experience that keeps you on top of everything going on. You need to request a quote from the company website to view the price. You can evaluate their software on a 14-day free trial.
13. SQL Power Tools
Best for: Organizations that require real-time insight into SQL Server performance with zero overhead on production systems might find it suitable.
Price: The platform offers no insights on the pricing structure. It is best to reach out to the sales team for updates.
SQL Power Tools is an agentless SQL monitoring solution that is dedicated to being as lightweight as possible. With SQL Power Tools you can monitor Oracle SQL Server, Informix, and Sybase database servers with minimal impact on your server resources. Impact is kept to a minimum because the software uses packet sniffing to analyze the performance of the server.
SQL Power Tools Key Features:
- Arms-length monitoring: Reads packets in and out of the database
- Multiple DBMSs: SQL Server, DB2, Informix, MariaDB, MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, and Sybase
- Response time tracking: Identifies poor performance
Unique Buying Proposition
Unlike traditional monitoring tools, SQL Power Tools requires no agents, no server load, and no invasive code changes. Its use of network-level monitoring and Deep Packet Inspection provides complete, stealth-mode visibility into all SQL activity.
Feature-in-Focus: Detects long running SQL within milliseconds via packet inspection
SQL Power Tools delivers real-time visibility into SQL performance by detecting long-running SQL statements within milliseconds of their occurrence. Using non-intrusive Network Sniffing and Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), the tool captures every SQL transaction, along with its SQL text, end-user response time, and execution context.
Why do we recommend it?
SQL Power Tools is a platform that provides both performance monitoring and security monitoring for SQL Server databases. The performance monitoring unit tracks typical throughput metrics for each database instance while the security monitoring module tracks activity to identify anomalies that could indicate a breach. The tool gathers its information by sniffing network packets and scanning those that are going to or coming from a database.
The data utilized by SQL Power Tools includes response time, destination IP, source IP application, start time, end time, database, rows returned, bytes sent, and packets sent. This is a sizeable body of data that gives you everything you need to scrutinize a database’s performance.
One of the key areas that SQL Power Tools focuses on is cybersecurity. This tool has been designed to prevent cyber attacks with Advanced SQL Behavioral Analysis and User Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA). When an attacker tries to breach your network these two will recognize the threat and stop it immediately. This makes SQL Power Tools a good solution for securing your servers as much as monitoring them.
Who is it recommended for?
SQL Power Tools isn’t just able to monitor SQL Server. IT can also watch over MySQL, MariaDB, DB2, Informix, Oracle, PostgreSQL, and Sybase. The two units on the platform support different roles within the organization. The performance monitoring system is for use by a DBA, while the security monitor would be operated by the network manager or a cybersecurity specialist. As with the Red-GAte tool, this system is most suitable for large organizations with many databases. SQL Power Tools has the edge over Red-Gate because it can monitor many DMBSs, not just SQL Server.
Pros:
- Records waits: Looks at locks and other blocking events
- Fault analysis: Examines index fragmentation and server resource shortages
- Simultaneous monitoring: Good for server farms
Cons:
- Busy dashboard: Some might find this too much information
Overall SQL Power Tools is a product that should be considered by any organization that wants to combine a performance monitoring solution with additional cybersecurity capabilities on Windows. In order to view the price of SQL Power Tools you’ll need to contact the sales team directly. You can request a free trial.
14. dbForge Monitor
Best for: dbForge SQL Monitor is best for database administrators and DevOps teams who need a lightweight yet powerful tool to monitor SQL Server performance in real time.
Price: Buyers can download the tool by visiting the official page and access its services without any hassle
dbForge Monitor is an SQL monitoring tool for Windows that delivers a simple and contemporary SQL monitoring experience. dbForge Monitor absolutely nails the top-down perspective required by a larger network with a dedicated Overview tab. In the Overview tab, you can view key metrics like CPU utilization, memory utilization, disc activity, and IO latency.
dbForge Monitor Key Features:
- A plug-in for SQL Server Management Studio: Both tools are free
- Live statuses: Tracks multiple instances in one dashboard
- Root cause analysis: Get suggestions for performance issue causes
Unique Buying Proposition
What sets dbForge SQL Monitor apart is its balance of simplicity and depth. Unlike bulkier enterprise solutions, it delivers comprehensive SQL Server monitoring without heavy configuration or overhead.
Feature-in-Focus: Monitors CPU, memory, I/O, queries, and waits in real time
dbForge SQL Monitor offers real-time tracking of key SQL Server metrics, including CPU, memory, disk I/O, query performance, and wait statistics. With its intuitive dashboard and visualizations, you can quickly detect bottlenecks, identify problematic queries, and respond to critical issues as they arise.
Why do we recommend it?
dbForge Monitor is an add-on unit for Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). Both the Microsoft system and the dbForge software are free to use. The dbForge system lets you monitor multiple SQL Server instances simultaneously. The overview page of the console consolidates all statistics into one screen. You can then drill down to see the metrics for each individual instance.
If you would like to delve deeper into the read and writes for individual database files then you can use the IO Data tab. Through the IO Data tab, you can view total data reads and writes, latency, and input/output operation count. Similarly, the Wait Stats tab is designed specifically to tell you the wait time and waiting tasks to help you pinpoint resources that are adversely affecting server performance.
With regards to queries, dbForge Monitor has its own SQL query performance analyzer to keep tabs on resource optimization. The SQL query performance analyzer looks out for resource-intensive queries that overwhelm the system so that it can’t cope with its entire workload. You can view the query text and query profiling data so that you can rewrite it to support your server better.
Who is it recommended for?
This system is a DBA tool for businesses of all sizes. Small businesses will appreciate that this very competent tool is free and larger businesses that have many SQL Server instances will particularly benefit from this system. If you also run databases from other DBMSs, you would need to look for another unified database monitoring tool.
Pros:
- Identifies slow-running queries: Lists the worst performers
- Query optimization: Recommendations to improve performance
- Monitors servers: Correlates resource usage with database activity
Cons:
- An add-in: Requires SQL Server Management Studio
All-in-all, dbForge Monitor is the ideal tool for users who want to view in-depth metrics without relying on too many complex displays. In order to run dbForge Monitor you need Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio 2012, 2014, 2016, or 2017. You also need to have .NET Framework 4.5.2 installed. You can download dbForge Monitor for free.
The Verdict
That concludes our look at the best SQL monitoring tools for 2020. Of all the tools mentioned on this list we recommend Paessler PRTG and ManageEngine Applications Manager. Both of these tools offers a server health monitoring experience that can function well within any size environment. The autodiscovery feature of the former makes this a particularly simple process.
No matter what your preferences are, we recommend that you try out a number of free trials before you make a purchase. If you’re working within a small network then it is ideal to try out a tool like Paessler SQL monitoring software PRTG on account of its freeware version. The most important thing is to find a product that you’re comfortable monitoring with before you make a purchase. At the end of the day, your comfort with the program will determine how effective it will be when you use it on a daily basis.
Our Methodology for Choosing SOC Software Tool
For businesses that depend on database performance and high uptime, having a reliable SQL Server monitoring tool is crucial. But with so many tools offering similar features, it can be hard to figure out which one truly adds value and provides useful insights.
To help you choose the best option, we’ve put together some key features to look for in an effective SQL Server monitoring solution.
1. Complete Performance Monitoring
A good monitoring tool should track everything that affects your database’s performance. For example, the status of your CPU, memory, and disk usage. The tool must be capable enough to help team members spot problems like slow queries or overloaded resources in real-time. With the right tool in hand, buyers can get a clear picture of how well their database is running.
2. Server Resource Monitoring
There is no point of having a monitoring tool that provides no clarity as to how your database interacts with the server it runs on. A helpful tool will show if your database is getting enough resources, or if it’s being slowed down by limits in CPU, memory, or storage. Make sure to invest in a monitoring tool that gives you a proper update on server resources and their usage.
Indexing Analysis
Indexes help your database find information faster. Some tools can automatically find missing or poorly designed indexes that slow things down. This helps your team make smart changes to improve speed and efficiency.
3. SQL Query Optimization
A lot of performance issues come from how SQL queries are written. The right tool would be able to review running queries and find the ones that are slow. In fact, make sure to invest in such a tool that further suggests better ways to write them. This helps keep your database fast and responsive.
4. Multi-Instance Performance Aggregation
If your infrastructure includes multiple SQL Server instances, managing them individually can be a big challenge. Hence, try to invest in a tool that consolidates monitoring data from all database instances and provides centralized visibility and better management. With these features, businesses can perform better analysis and manage complex administrative tasks.
5. Free Trial Option
Testing before investing your money is a wise decision that every business must take when selecting software. There are several options available that offer free trial options. These options enable buyers to evaluate tool compatibility and usability within their existing environment before making a long-term commitment.
6. All-in-One Monitoring Suite
Choose a unified platform instead of using numerous solutions for every aspect of SQL Server monitoring. By investing in a unified platform, buyers can achieve better ROI and system-wide consistency by lowering the total cost of ownership and reducing integration issues.
7. Robust Support and Documentation
Monitoring tools can be complex and require technical expertise in some cases. Hence, investing your money into software that provides detailed documentation and reliable customer support would be a great option. Be it troubleshooting critical issues or configuring monitoring tools, these insightful guides can be advantageous.
Broader B2B Software Selection Methodology
Selecting an SQL monitoring tool only based on its features and functionalities is not enough. It is equally important to check vendor details and user feedback before investing money into any new product. Our team of experts at Comparitech measures all key areas that can be valuable to the buyer and ease their selection process. For instance, if you are willing to invest your money in the best SQL Monitoring tool, our reviewed products will cover insights about both the software and the vendor support services. Post-purchase buyers often need assistance with setup, configuration, training, etc., so learning about these services is crucial.
A few more points that our expert team takes into account during the product review procedure for b2b businesses are:
- Check if the product is worth the provided price and capable enough to resolve real business issues.
- Can it handle more data, users, or bigger tasks if the business expands in the future?
- Go through user reviews and testimonials to get a better understanding of what people think or say about the software, vendor, and their services.
- Check how quickly the support team responds or is helpful when the buyer raises a ticket.
- Understand what features, benefits, and restrictions apply to the selected product.
Our team doesn’t cover all points in each review but makes sure that important ones are highlighted clearly. For more information on Comparitech’s product or software evaluation process, we recommend going through the B2B software methodology page.
Why Trust Us?
Comparitech’s insightful product reviews and software updates have helped many businesses achieve their goals. We have a technical team that goes through each product and shares information that businesses often miss. Instead of just highlighting the key features, our team performs thorough research and provides more insights about the business and its support services. Thus, guaranteeing businesses invest their money into high-quality products and software to achieve the best results.
Further, to ease the process of tool selection, our software testing experts and professionals share user feedback and other experiences encountered during the research. We have set criteria that help the evaluation process simple. Performance measurement, customer support assessment, brand analysis, user feedback, and various factors are taken into consideration before listing the product reviews for readers and buyers. Our in-depth software reviews and research make us one of the trusted resources.
SQL Server Monitoring FAQ
What is the first step in reviewing your system in SQL?
Before approaching the task of reviewing your system in SQL, ensure that you have an effective monitoring tool. Reviewing the system by manually issuing a series of SQL queries is time-consuming, prone to error, and could slow down or block a system if it is already close to its operating limits. A performance monitor can give you advanced warning of potential problems before they become critical so you know that any actions you take in the database aren’t likely to make a bad situation worse.
What are the performance counters in SQL Server?
The term “performance counters” means the metrics or system indicators that you need to watch in order to prevent the database and its supporting services from getting overloaded. The most important of these are:
- % Processor Time
- Processor Que Length
- Processors Blocked
- SQL Compilations/Sec (or Re-compilations/Sec
- Total Server Memory
- Bytes Total/sec
- Average Disk Queue Length
- Pages/Sec
- Buffer Cache Hit Ratio
- Cache Hit Ratio
How do you check a SQL Server instance is running or not?
The steps to check on whether an SQL Server instance is running are:
- Open Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio
- Scroll through the Object Manager to find the folder the represents the instance that you want to check on.
- Right-click on the mouse to get the context menu.
- Look through the options. If Start is grayed out, the instance is currently running.
See also: The Best SQL Query Builders
Thanks for putting this together. It helped me cross reference with some other rankings to help me pick my TOP 5 for my DBA team to look at and pick a new monitoring tool for our company.