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SQL Server Profiler Enhancements

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SQL Server Profiler is a graphical user interface to SQL Trace, used for monitoring an instance of the Microsoft Database Engine or Analysis Services. You can capture and save data about each database event to a file or table to analyze later. For example, you can monitor a production environment to see which stored procedures are executing too slowly and hampering performance.

New Features

New features in SQL Server Profiler include:

  • Rollover trace files. SQL Server Profiler can replay one or more collected rollover trace files continuously and in order.
  • New extensibility standard. SQL Server Profiler uses an XML-based definition that allows SQL Server Profiler to more easily capture events from other types of servers and programming interfaces.
  • Profiling of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services (SSAS). SQL Server Profiler now supports capturing and displaying events raised by SSAS.
  • Profiling of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Integration Services (SSIS). SQL Server Profiler can now display events raised by SSIS.
  • Saving of traced Showplan as XML. Showplan results can be saved in an XML format, which can be later loaded for graphical Showplan display in Query Editor without the need to have an underlying database. SQL Server Profiler will also display a graphical representation of Showplan XML events at that the time they are captured by SQL Server Profiler.
  • Save trace results as XML. Trace results can be saved in an XML format in addition to the standard save formats of ANSI, UNICODE, and OEM. Results saved in this fashion can be edited and used as input for the Replay capability of SQL Server Profiler.
  • Aggregate view. Users can choose an aggregate option and select a key for aggregation. This will enable users to see a view that shows the column on which the aggregation was performed, along with a count for the number of rows that make up the aggregate value.
  • Correlation of Trace Events to Performance Monitor Counters. SQL Server Profiler can correlate Performance Monitor Counters with SQL Server or SSAS events. Administrators can select from a predefined set of Performance Monitor Counters and save them at specified time intervals while also collecting a SQL Server or SSAS trace.

See Also

Other Resources

SQL Server Profiler Terminology

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance