Identify Poorly Performing Queries – Three Tools You Already Own

Grant Fritchey

One of the first challenges you’ll face when you decide to address poor query performance is identifying which query you should focus on. While you can simply wait for the people using your application to complain, a more proactive approach will serve you better. This session will walk you through three different, built-in tools within SQL Server that can be used to identify poorly performing queries. We’ll focus on the ubiquitous Dynamic Management Views (DMVs) since you can use them anywhere. Then, we’ll talk about what’s possible in SQL Server 2012 and greater through the use of Extended Events. Finally, we’ll talk about how you can put Query Store to use if you’re working in SQL Server 2016 or greater. Between these three tools, you can better understand which queries you need to focus on to fix problems in your environment right away.