Agents Administration - Tests
 

Configuration of SqlAzuUnUsdIdxTest

One of the balancing acts of SQL Azure database Server is the use of indexes. Too few indexes can cause scans to occur which hurts performance and too many indexes causes overhead for index maintenance during data updates and also a bloated database. Administrators hence need to continuously track which indexes are used and how they are used. Unused indexes in particular can have a negative impact on performance. This is because when the underlying table data is modified, the index may need to be updated also. This takes additional time and can even increase the probability of blocking. To avoid this, administrators need to rapidly isolate the unused indexes and drop them. The SqlAzuUnUsdIdxTest facilitates this. Using this test, administrators can quickly determine the number of unused indexes in each database, and also understand how badly that index impacts database performance.

The default parameters associated with this test are:

  • The TEST PERIOD list box helps the user to decide how often this test needs to be executed.

  • In the HOST text box, specify the IP address of the host for which the test is to be configured.

  • Specify the port number through which the Microsoft SQL Azure database server communicates in the PORT text box. By default, this is 1433.

  • In the DATABASE NAME text box, enter the name of a specific Microsoft SQL Azure database server instance that is to be monitored. The default value of this parameter is “default”. To monitor a Microsoft SQL Azure database server instance named “CFS”, enter this as the value of the Database Name parameter.

  • Specify the name of a SQL Azure database user with the “View Server State” role in the USER text box.

  • Specify the password of the specified User in the PASSWORD text box.

  • Confirm the Password by retyping it in the CONFIRM PASSWORD textbox.

  • If the Microsoft SQL Azure database server being monitored is an SSL-enabled server, then set the SSL flag to Yes. If not, then set the SSL flag to No.

  • By default, none is displayed in the DOMAIN text box. If the ‘SQL server and Windows’ authentication has been enabled for the server being monitored, then the Domain can continue to be none. On the other hand, if ‘Windows only’ authentication has been enabled, then, in the Domain text box, specify the Windows domain in which the managed Microsoft SQL Azure database server exists. Also, in such a case, the User and Password that you provide should be that of a user authorized to access the monitored Microsoft SQL Azure database server.

  • In some Windows networks, NTLM (NT LAN Manager) may be enabled. NTLM is a suite of Microsoft security protocols that provides authentication, integrity, and confidentiality to users. NTLM version 2 (“NTLMv2”) was concocted to address the security issues present in NTLM. By default, the ISNTLMV2 flag is set to No, indicating that NTLMv2 is not enabled by default on the target Microsoft SQL Azure database server host. Set the ISNTLMV2 flag to Yes if NTLMv2 is enabled on the target host.

  • To make diagnosis more efficient and accurate, eG embeds an optional detailed diagnostic capability. With this capability, the eG agents can be configured to run detailed, more elaborate tests as and when specific problems are detected. To enable the detailed diagnosis capability of this test, by default, for a particular server, choose the On option against DETAILED DIAGNOSIS. To disable the capability, click on the Off option.

    The option to selectively enable/disable the detailed diagnosis capability will be available only if the following conditions are fulfilled:

    • The eG manager license should allow the detailed diagnosis capability.

    • Both the bad and normal frequencies configured for the detailed diagnosis measures should not be 0.

  • If multiple components of the same component type are awaiting configuration, then an APPLY TO OTHER COMPONENTS button will appear in this page. Clicking on this button will allow you to apply the configuration to all/selected components of that type.

  • Once the necessary values have been provided, clicking on the UPDATE button will register the changes made.

When changing the configuration for specific servers, a “*” beside the text box corresponding to the parameter signifies that these values have to be manually configured by the user. The parameter values that require to be configured will typically be prefixed with a “$” or contain a series of “*”. A value of “none” in the parameter value indicates that the corresponding parameter value can be changed if required.