Performance Monitoring and Tuning How-to Topics
There are a variety of tools and techniques that can be used to monitor Microsoft SQL Server. Understanding how to monitor SQL Server can help you:
- Determine whether performance improvements can be made. 
- Determine user activity to find out what queries users are issuing and who is connecting to SQL Server. 
- Troubleshoot problems. 
- Test applications. 
In This Section
This section contains information about how to use SQL Server performance monitoring and tuning tools.
- Server Performance and Activity Monitoring How-to Topics 
 Contains information about using Microsoft Windows tools, SQL Server Management Studio, SQL Trace, and SQL Server Profiler to capture information about SQL Server events to troubleshoot performance problems.
- Database Engine Tuning Advisor How-to Topics 
 Contains information about how to use Database Engine Tuning Advisor to tune the physical SQL Server database design.
- Execution Plan How-to Topics 
 Contains information about using the graphical Showplan feature of SQL Server Management Studio.