While Microsoft SQL Server is capable of supporting huge databases and applications, one of its marketing strengths in smaller organizations and departments is the perception that it “just runs itself” because of its automated tuning and maintenance features. Decentralized IT environments may even have individual departments where SQL Server is installed for departmental applications.
Operations Manager 2007 (and MOM 2005) can help you monitor SQL Server, not only when you are using it with a customized application, but also when it is implemented with a packaged application and your organization lacks SQL Server-specific expertise. Many database application issues that hit the help desk and are escalated have the same symptom: poor response time. Poor response time can be caused by a number of things – networking issues, lock contention, online backups, page splits caused by insert or update activity, replication volume, improperly designed databases, or even poorly written applications. Although using the SQL Server management pack will not rewrite your application or tune your tables, it can help you with monitoring locks, space utilization, backups, and replication.
The SQL Server MP helps monitor your application by monitoring database activity. The management pack provides proactive and reactive monitoring of your SQL Server environment. It detects failures and lowers the time required to resolve problems.
The SQL Server Management Pack currently supports SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005, with versions available for OpsMgr 2007 and MOM 2005. Check it out!
