Azure Database Watcher for Read Scale-Out

Question

Hello,
We have set up Database Watcher for Azure SQL Database on Premium Tier with Read Scale-Out feature enabled. We have set up our database as SQL target with Read intent flag enabled. We would like to see the read-only replica as a separate instance in database watcher, but now we see only the primary replica.
Thanks,
Ignat

Answer 1

Hello Ignat Strelets,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A and thank you for posting your questions here.

I understand that you need Azure Database Watcher for Read Scale-Out.

In case you need more details regarding your questions:

To see the read‑only replica as a separate instance in Database watcher, add your database twice as two separate SQL targets:

(1) once without Read intent (this is the primary), and

(2) once with “Read intent (this is the HA read‑only secondary).

Grant access, ensure connectivity, then start/restart the watcher. You will have two distinct monitored entries, primary and HA secondary. - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database-watcher-manage?view=azuresql and https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/azuresqlblog/introducing-database-watcher-for-azure-sql/4085637 gives you more details.

Furthermore, if the previous steps still don’t work, implement this troubleshooting steps:

1. Confirm the database is Premium/Business Critical (or Hyperscale with at least one secondary). Read scale‑out doesn’t apply to tiers without HA secondaries. - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/read-scale-out?view=azuresql
2. Add the geo‑replica database as a separate target. Read intent on a target selects that resource’s HA secondary, not a geo‑replica.- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database-watcher-manage?view=azuresql and https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/active-geo-replication-overview?view=azuresql
3. Re‑run the Grant access T‑SQL; ensure the watcher’s managed identity is the one you granted. If the system‑assigned identity was toggled, it may have a new principal ID, requiring re‑grant. - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database-watcher-manage?view=azuresql
4. Approve managed private endpoints (if using private connectivity) and restart the watcher; or open required outbound ports for Redirect if using public connectivity. - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database-watcher-manage?view=azuresql , https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/connectivity-settings?view=azuresql and https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/azuredbsupport/lesson-learned-431-determining-connection-type-to-azure-sql-database-proxy-or-re/3933364

I hope this is helpful! Do not hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions or clarifications.

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Answer 2

Hello **Ignat Strelets

**Database watcher supports all service tiers, compute tiers, and service objectives in Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance. This includes vCore and DTU purchasing models, provisioned and serverless compute tiers, single databases and elastic pools, and Hyperscale.

Database watcher can monitor all types of secondary readable replicas, including high availability replicas, geo-replicas, and Hyperscale named secondary replicas.

For a given watcher, the SQL targets can be in any subscription within the same Microsoft Entra ID tenant.

On the SQL targets page, select Add.
To monitor the primary replica and a high availability secondary replica of a database, elastic pool, or SQL managed instance, add two separate SQL targets for the same resource, and check the Read intent box for one of them. Similarly, create two separate SQL targets for a geo-replica and its high availability secondary replica, if any.

• Checking the Read intent box configures the SQL target for the high availability secondary replica only.
• Do not check the Read intent box if you want to monitor only the primary replica or only the geo-replica, or if a high availability secondary replica does not exist for this resource, or if the read scale-out feature is disabled.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database-watcher-manage?view=azuresql&tabs=sqldb#add-sql-targets-to-a-watcher