SQL Server Monitoring Tools Free
Introduction:
In the age of Big Data, database servers are most important to manage our data in a well-formatted and visually appealing manner. Database servers that may be linked to some website to store their records or databases that store internal business records are the core components that need to be monitored continuously so any important data is not lost and to keep the database working in an efficient manner.
Why use SQL Monitoring Tools?
Monitoring an SQL Server can provide us information such as whether you need to increase the space of the drive on which the database is stored, diagnosing any queries that may be problematic or can be optimized, to keep monitoring the SQL Server proactively so that no problem arises in the future, monitoring the CPU and Memory usage of the SQL Server and also keeping an eye on the server to check if any process is slowing it down, etc.
Here are our best handpicked FREE SQL Server Monitoring Tools:
Spicework’s SQL Server Monitoring Software
Spicework’s SQL Server Monitoring Software can auto collect data regarding the server and provide instant access to health and other information. You can monitor the Server size, connections, and bandwidth, etc. It also provides the functionality to create widgets so you can get information at a single glance.
Their user-friendly interface allows users to show the status of the SQL Server by generating reports and graphs which can also be customized.
ApexSQL by Quest
Their “SQL Server monitoring with Spotlight” is an easy-to-use monitoring tool that can monitor even multiple instances of SQL Servers. You can easily view the performance metrics, identify performance issues even deadlocks, analyze query wait timings and monitor index performance, etc.
ApexSQL’s monitoring tool also allows users to monitor availability groups, failover clusters and to calculate the baselines and thresholds.
IDERA’s Comprehensive SQL Monitoring Software
This is also a great monitoring tool for getting information about the SQL Server such as its performance that may include CPU and Memory Usage, diagnostics and analysis of the server to gain information of deadlocks, blocks, set up multiple baselines, cloud server management by installing it on the cloud virtual machines and getting alerts regarding the performance of the database.
dbForge Monitor
dbForge is a free add-in for Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio that can easily track the status of all of your SQL Databases and analyze the SQL server performance in real-time. It is a very simple and lightweight add-in to check any server metrics like CPU and memory, bottlenecks, query analysis so users can optimize any queries that are slow, and database health issues. dbForge Monitor also uncovers any root causes that may impact the SQL server in the long run.
Red gate’s SQL Monitor (Free Trial)
Their SQL Monitor provides functionality to manage the entire SQL Server estate with instant problem diagnosis. This monitor also has intelligent and customizable alerting available at the tip of your finger. Whether the database is local or on the cloud or even hybrid, Redgate’s SQL Monitor is an excellent choice.
Their most prominent feature is that they support Virtual Machines, Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud.
Site24x7’s SQL Server Monitoring (Free Trial)
Whether you need to plan the storage capacity of the SQL Server, check the Server Status, view database details, keep server logs and agent logs or Assist DevOps. Site24x7’s SQL Server Monitor is a good choice. Their monitoring tool can be used locally and on the cloud. They also provide handy plugin interactions, network monitor and APM insights.
Using their SQL Monitoring Tool, you can also track the SQL Server downtimes, cache hit ratios, and identify locks and latch details.
Lepide’s SQL Server Auditor (Free Trial)
Auditing the SQL Serve changes, Database Reports, Filter, Search, Sort, and auditing permission changes has never been easier using Lepide’s SQL Server Auditor. It is a simple and user-friendly monitoring tool that can audit SQL configuration changes, track all SQL User Modifications, detect changes made to SQL logins and monitor the health of the SQL Server.
Lepide’s SQL Server Auditor also works proactively to check any potentially damaging changes that may harm the SQL Server in the long run.
dbWatch
dbWatch Control Center is also a great database monitoring and management solution. It helps database administrators to manage database farms, real-time database monitoring to prevent any critical database issues early, and overall tuning and optimization of the database.
You can use dbWatch with a variety of SQL Server instances like PostgreSQL, Oracle, MySQL, Sybase, and Azure, etc.
ManageEngine’s Free SQL Performance Monitoring Tool
ManageEngine’s SQL Performance Monitor allows you to keep an eye on the SQL Server Performance, track the health of the SQL Server, and allows monitoring up to two instances of SQL Servers simultaneously. What makes this monitoring tool different from others is that it also supports old versions of MS SQL such as MS SQL 2012 and MS SQL 2014.
Furthermore, it allows proactive (Real-time) SQL Server Monitoring as well for comprehensive reports and advanced fault management capabilities on a large scale.
Paessler’s SQL Monitoring Software PRTG
Their comprehensive database monitoring tools allow users to monitor a vast variety of databases such as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle SQL Servers, MySQL, PostgreSQL Servers, and other popular database servers, etc.
Through their SQL Monitoring Software, you can reduce the downtime of the servers and optimize their performance as well. They also provide users the ability to import SQL queries at a glance.
Summary
As stated earlier, SQL Server Monitoring tools are very important in the day and age we live in. In order to keep our databases safe and secure, we must use Database monitoring tools to assist us, making our life easier.
Part 2 - SQL Server Monitoring Tools Free
All database needs a tool to manage, administer and monitor, in this case we’ll talk about the free tools we use to monitor our SQL server and beyond that usually brings our operating system. These programs, known as DBA ( Data Base Administrator ) are required to optimize the performance of our server and track the status of it, and obtaining the information needed to solve problems that arise , which many times is not easy at all and even more depending on the size and interactions that it performs, bypassing the supervision of a server can cause a system crash and generate many lost, not only economic, also of information, which is a very important resource for our company or the company in which we are working. Our DBA will have to work continuously, have definite trends are normal and metric values so that when one is out of the limit notify us and take the appropriate action.
One of the main tools that we can use is DPA , from Solar Winds ( Database Performance Analyzer ), which is capable of monitoring and analyzing database instances, this tool has a response time analysis system between requests for consultation, analyzing waiting times and the events that may lead to a funnel into this , has an easy graphical user interface (GUI) so finding problems will not be an inconvenience for us , algo the tool has a low impact on the use of system or server resources and that is obviously beneficial for us.
On the other hand, we have PRTG Suite , which includes a monitoring tool called Paessler SQL PRTG, which brings preconfigured sensors for the most populars databases (Microsoft SQL, Oracle SQL, MySQL and Postgres SQL ) .Paessler SQL PRTG also offers us a wide variety of extra features, such as alerts through scheduled notifications, that is, once an alert is activated, we can receive a notification via email or SMS, or if you have the PRTG application installed Network Monitor on your Android or iOS , we can also receive them there.
Following the list, we can find Idera Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server, an excellent tool to monitor the performance of our server that will allow us to obtain performance statistics , monitor the CPU, memory, usage and space of the disk and network traffic, it also includes a tool that will provide us with recommendations according to our server . Not least data is that in this option we have the possibility of keeping track from our mobile devices , be it Android , BlackBerry or iOS. Another existing tool is known as SQL Monitor from the people of Red Gate Software, which in turn serves to manage, change, manipulate and optimize our databases. It includes more than 60 preconfigured alerts to monitor the use of the components of our server machine, memory, CPU, disk activity, errors in the SQL language and performance problems in queries, this is one of the most modern monitoring tool and experience that we can get.
Auditing our server with Lepide SQL Server Auditing provides us with a robust server auditing experience to monitor SQL instances. With this tool, all changes made in the configuration of Server users, permissions, triggers, databases, and logins are saved as audit data. These data are ideal for co identify how SQL configurations change over time and keep the opening of what is happening on our server, carry out a follow - up comprehensive and detect problems before they occur. If a server goes down or something is going bad, we can set it up to receive an alert, they are sent as console updates, emails, and notices push in its application.
If we talk about cybersecurity, SQL Power Tools signature provides us with SQL Power, a low impact monitoring tool, what does this mean? that the performance of our server will not be affected or yes, but on a smaller scale, since it (according to its editor) uploads to our database in a minimum percentage, less than one percent. Designed to prevent cyber attacks on our server (SQL injection, DOS, DDOS, Exploits, malware) All analyzes were executed remotely, without inserting any table or uploading thousands of queries to our server.
Among the most popular we find SentryOne SQL Sentry that monitors the performance of our database and with the collection tools, it gives us an accurate overview of what is happening, this program has more than 100 actionable alert conditions on performance and displays essential events on a calendar-style screen that allows for easy cross-reference, in turn, by running detailed analysis from your dashboard, we can resolve issues quickly and efficiently.S or panel performance we provide to an exclusive and patented view of the performance of our storage , with a score of l analysis on the consultations more impact they have.
All these tools will provide us with an exclusive and detailed monitoring of our servers, however, the most important thing many times is to have one or more highly trusted people in charge of their supervision, as we said before, the data in a company is the most valuable thing. . that it may contain, any loss, damage or theft of these is unfeasible. Even not only trust is enough in these cases, we must have an experienced team prepared for any situation that may appear. We can protect our servers, your data in the database and data credentials with the best encryption class while they are in transit or rest , i ven have the software administration or n of the database updated his ú last version or n can save many headaches , it is always convenient.
This concludes our review of the best free SQL monitoring tools. I must emphasize that, of all the mentioned tools, I recommend the SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer for SQL Server and SentryOne SQL Sentry, which cover the largest number of aspects necessary for proper monitoring and at the same time have an easy-to-use interface , so that we save time, taking for granted the necessary knowledge that is required for any of these.By last remark that each of these tools provides an experience of monitoring the state of the server that can work well in environments of any size , either a single server or a server farm .