General Issues

• What is SQL check?

  SQL check is a free performance monitoring tool for SQL Server databases. It provides basic real-time performance information for a single SQL Server.

  If you want the market-leading SQL Server performance monitoring tool, that includes 24x7 monitoring, alerting and diagnostics, try Idera’s award-winning SQL diagnostic manager free for 14 days.

• What is Idera Freeware?

  Idera Freeware applications are tools developed by the engineering team at Idera to alleviate common, day-to-day DBA headaches. They are yours to use anywhere you like, completely free of charge.

  All the support materials that you need to install, configure and use Idera Freeware tools are provided via these FAQs on the Idera website.

  We’d love to hear what you think about our freeware tools, so if you have comments, feedback or ideas for other cool tools then drop us an email at freeware@idera.com.

• Why is Idera offering SQL check?

  Because every DBA needs to monitor critical performance counters on their SQL Servers to ensure fast performance and high availability.

  And…we think that if you like SQL check, then you’ll love our award-winning monitoring and diagnostics solution, SQL diagnostic manager (you can get a free trial here).

• How are Idera Freeware tools supported?

  Idera Freeware products are supported differently than our licensed software products. Freeware support is available via online FAQs only.

  Licensed Idera software is supported via live assistance via phone, email, internet chat, and Knowledge Base Articles available through the Idera Customer Service portal.

• Where should I use SQL check?

  Anywhere you like. However, for your really, really critical production servers, it’s probably a good idea to spend a few dollars and upgrade to our award-winning SQL diagnostic manager so that you can benefit from additional functionality and Idera’s world-class 24x7 technical support.

Product Feature Questions

• How do I install SQL check?

  Installation of SQL check is very easy. Simply download the product and follow the installation wizard.

• How do I use SQL check to monitor a SQL server?

  After installing SQL check, simply launch the application and specify the SQL Server to be monitored.

• What are the key differences between SQL check and SQL diagnostic manager?

  	SQL check	SQL diagnostic manager
  Real-time monitoring of key SQL Server performance metrics	~20 metrics	>230 metrics
  Number of servers monitored	1 server	Up to 300 servers
  No agent installation required	X	X
  Central management console		X
  Mobile Management from Windows Mobile or Blackberry device		X
  Multiple views of monitoring data		X
  Comprehensive real-time alerting		X
  Extensible monitoring by defining any WMI or SQL counter		X
  Identification of and alerting on locking and blocking processes		X
  Identification of worst-performing code (Stored Procedures, SQL statements, Queries, etc) for performance tuning		X
  Central repository of historical data		X
  Historical trend analysis		X
  Comprehensive reporting		X
  Support materials and documentation on Idera website	X	X
  24/7 support via comprehensive support site, email, live chat and live phone assistance		X
  Evaluation copies available	N/A	Yes, free for 14 days
  Price	Free	$2049 per monitored SQL Server instance

• What aspects of the SQL Server database does SQL check monitor?

  • Wait types
  • Reads
  • Writes
  • Physical Reads
  • Physical Writes
  • Cache Hits
  • Processes
  • Active process in a transaction
  • Idle process in a transaction
  • Locked Processes

• What type of user interface is provided for SQL check?

  SQL check provides an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI).

• Does SQL check install any code on the monitored database server?

  No. SQL check does not install anything on the monitored server.

• How many machines can SQL check monitor?

  SQL check will monitor one machine at a time. For more thorough and detailed performance monitoring, alerting, and diagnostics across multiple servers, try Idera’s award-winning SQL diagnostic manager free for 14 days.

Technical Questions

• What are the system requirements and prerequisites for SQL check?

  SQL check has the following MS Windows system requirements:

  • .NET 2.0 SP2
  • Windows 2000, Windows XP SP2+, Windows 7, Windows 2000 Server SP4+, Windows Server 2003 SP2+, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

• What versions of Microsoft SQL Server can be monitored with SQL check?

  SQL check supports monitoring the following 32-bit and 64-bit (x64 and Itanium 2) versions of Microsoft SQL Server Standard or Enterprise editions:

  • SQL Server 2000 SP4
  • SQL Server 2005 SP1+
  • SQL Server 2008
  • SQL Server 2008 R2

• What Windows security permissions are required?

  The account you use to run SQL check should have administrator privileges on the database server. If your Windows account does not have these permissions, SQL check may be unable to display all available data.

• What SQL Server security permissions are required?

  Idera recommends using the Windows Integrated Security feature of SQL Server. However, SQL check supports both Windows Integrated Security and SQL Server native security. The account you use to run SQL check should have "sa" privileges in SQL Server.

• What steps should I take if SQL check is unable to connect to a particular server?

  STEP 1:
  Please check the following items:

  • Ensure that the name of the database server is correctly entered.
  • The account that SQL check uses to access the database server computer must have Windows administrator permissions on the database server.
  • The account that SQL check uses to access the SQL server must have System Administrator (sa) privileges on the SQL Server instance.
  • Ensure that the port that SQL Server is running on (default of 1433) is not blocked via a firewall, router, etc.

  STEP 2:
  Once the criteria above have been satisfied, please verify the database server can be "seen" from the SQL check machine.

  1. Go to Start>Run>CMD (Enter).
  2. Type "ping SERVERNAME" (Enter).

  If the ping is successful, the database server can be "seen" from the SQL check machine. If is it not, consult with your Network Administrator in order to make the server available over the network.

  STEP 3:
  Please use Performance Monitor to verify that the database server is returning data.

  1. Go to Start>Run>Perfmon (Enter).
  2. Right-click the graph area.
  3. Click "Add Counters..."
  4. Click the "Select counters from computer:" radio button and enter the name of the server you are trying to connect to (i.e. \\SERVERNAME).
  5. Click the "Performance object:" drop-down list and select "SQLServer:General Statistics".
  6. Click the "All counters" radio button.
  7. Click "Add" & then "Close".

  If data is returned in the Performance Monitor application, then the database server's counters are accessible, and you should be able to connect via SQL check. If there is no return information, then there is an issue with the permission level of the account attempting to access the database server.

• What should I do if the SQL check charts do not show any information?

  First, ensure the default refresh rate of 2 seconds hasn’t been modified by going to Options > Settings > SQL check.

  A lack of statistics for the charts in SQL check can also occur because the SQL counters that look for that information are unavailable.

  You can check whether this is the case by running Perfmon:

  1. Go to Start>Run>and excute "perfmon.exe"
  2. Right click or press ctrl-I in the counter window to bring up "Add counters"
  3. Connect to the computer where the SQL Server is installed under "select counters from computer:"
  4. Under Performance Monitor object, select any object prefaced with SQLServer: and add a counter to the list

  If the counters are not available, they might not have been installed initially or they may have been disabled by a service pack.

• What should I do if I experience problems viewing SQL check in 16-bit color with Remote Desktop?

  When viewing the SQL Check GUI in remote desktop using a color-depth less than 16-bit, you may experience problems such as flickering, refresh stalling, or a GUI crash.

  CAUSE:

  There is a known issue with the redrawing method in the application at less then 16-bit color.

  SOLUTION:

  Please increase the resolution of your remote desktop connection to 16 bit color.

  You can find this option under the Display tab -> Colors section.

If you have comments, feedback or need assistance with a topic that is not covered in the FAQ, please email us at freeware@idera.com.