Finding Problem Queries with SQL Profiler - Professional SQL Server 2005 Performance Tuning - page 94

Checking for a Complete ''Issue'' Statement
A well-prepared issue statement will help to define the scope of a trace. Issues can be described in many
forms; at the minimum, the following information is required:

❑ Who: This information confirms the status of the issue.

❑ What: These symptoms of the performance issue will help determine which SQL trace template

or events to use for a trace.

❑ When: When did the issue occur? Does the issue persist? This information will determine when

to schedule the next trace.

❑ System environment description: Operating system, SQL Server editions, and service

pack levels.

❑ Error messages: Do you have system, application, or other related logs documented as evidence?

❑ Service Level Agreement (SLA): Do you have related measurable descriptions in the SLA

for the issue?

Profiler trace setup requires many detailed decisions: how to connect to a SQL instance, how to save trace
results, when to start and stop a trace, what events to select, and how to filter data for a specific need.
Information in the issue statement may help to make these decisions.

Best Practice
Each Profiler trace should have a specific purpose, whether it is gathering data for
specific troubleshooting, performance tuning, or a baseline. When you design a trace,
obtain all the information you can about what to collect, when to collect, how to process
the trace data, and who can benefit from your trace analysis.

Searching for Related Known Issues
Sometimes known issues have already been found and documented for specific OS, SQL Server editions,
and patch levels by other people. A quick search, using common Internet search engines, can divulge
useful information.

Thinking in Terms of SQL Trace Terminologies
To effectively set up a trace, you need to understand the technical issues you are dealing with and SQL
trace terminology. The following are common terms used in SQL Profiler and SQL Trace:

❑ Server instance: For a Profiler trace to connect to an instance of SQL server, the name of the

instance is required. If SQL Server is running under Windows clustering, the virtual name
is required.