SQL Server: Replacing Profiler with Extended Events

By Erin Stellato
Use your knowledge of Profiler and Trace to help learn how to effectively use their replacement: Extended Events. If you use Trace or Profiler in SQL Server, in any capacity, this course is relevant to you.
Play course overview
Course info
Level
Intermediate
Updated
Jun 30, 2016
Duration
2h 28m
Table of contents
Course Overview
Course Overview 2m
Introduction
Introduction 1m SQL Trace/Profiler, Example Uses, and Why it's Time to Move On 3m Comparing Functionality and Why We Avoid Extended Events 6m Extended Events and Example Uses 5m What This Course Covers 2m Course Structure and Module Summary 1m
Transitioning from Profiler’s UI to Extended Events
Introduction, the Extended Events Engine, and its Objects 3m Demo: Making the Leap from Profiler Trace to Extended Events - 1 5m Demo: Making the Leap from Profiler Trace to Extended Events - 2 10m Demo: Making the Leap from Profiler Trace to Extended Events - 3 8m Events and Event Comparison 3m Event Changes by Version and Considerations for Events 2m Predicates and Considerations for Predicates 3m Actions and Considerations for Actions 2m Targets and Considerations for Targets 2m The Big Picture 2m Event Session Options 6m Module Summary 1m
Leveraging the Extended Events UI
Introduction 2m New Session Wizard, New Session, and Templates 2m Demo: Event Session Creation and Output Analysis in the UI - 1 10m Demo: Event Session Creation and Output Analysis in the UI - 2 9m Demo: Event Session Creation and Output Analysis in the UI - 3 7m Live Data Viewer, Customize Columns, Grouping and Aggregation 1m Expanding a Grouping and Filtering 1m Merging Files, Bookmarking Events, and Module Summary 2m
Understanding Target Options for Extended Events
Introduction and Target Basics 2m Event Dispatching and Revisiting the Big Picture 2m Event File, Event Counter, and Histogram Targets 3m Demo: Tracking Database File Growth Using the Histogram Target 7m Event Pairing and Ring Buffer Targets 3m Demo: Using the Ring Buffer Target 8m Module Summary 1m
Avoiding Performance Issues with Extended Events
Introduction and General Performance Considerations 2m Create Good Predicates 2m Code Examples of Good and Bad Predicates 3m Action Overhead and Limit Setting 2m Demo: Ignoring the Warnings 6m Module Summary and Extended Events Pros and Cons 5m Where to Go Next and Course Summary 3m
Description
Course info
Level
Intermediate
Updated
Jun 30, 2016
Duration
2h 28m
Description

There have been three new releases of SQL Server since the introduction of Extended Events (XE) in SQL Server 2008, and DBAs and Developers alike still prefer Profiler. It's time to move on. If you've tried Extended Events and struggled, or if you've been thinking about it but just aren't sure where to begin, then this course is for you. Using your existing knowledge and experience, this course will bridge the gap between Profiler and XE through a series of demos, including how to create an Extended Events session using an existing Trace, how to create one in the UI from scratch, how to analyze the data, and what to watch out for in terms of performance. If you use Trace or Profiler in SQL Server, in any capacity, regardless of what you do as part of your day-to-day job, this course is relevant to you.

About the author
Erin Stellato
About the author

Erin Stellato is a Principal Consultant with SQLskills and a SQL Server MVP. She has worked as a SQL Server professional since 2003 and her interests include Internals, Performance Tuning, High Availability and Disaster Recovery. Erin is an active member of the SQL Server community as a presenter and blogger.

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Section Introduction Transcripts
Section Introduction Transcripts

Course Overview
Hello. My name is Erin Stellato, and welcome to my course, SQL Server: Replacing Profiler with Extended Events. I'm a SQL Server consultant with SQLskills, as well as a Microsoft data platform MVP, and I have been talking and writing about Extended Events since 2012 when I finally truly understood how to leverage Extended Events and I wanted everyone else to see the light. Extended Events was introduced in SQL Server 2008, but as of the SQL Server 2016 release, 8 years later, I find that many SQL Server professionals still prefer using Profiler and Trace when they are troubleshooting a drop in performance or they want to track down poor performing queries. But here's the thing, Extended Events was written to replace Profiler and Trace, and while change is hard, the benefits that come with this new event handling system far exceed any stumbles you might encounter in the road while learning it. In this course, we will use the knowledge that you already have about Profiler and Trace to understand the different components of Extended Events and how they all work together. We will walk through how to create an Extended Event session using an existing Trace, how to create one in the UI from scratch, how to analyze the data, and what to watch out for in terms of performance. If you use Trace or Profiler in SQL Server in any capacity, regardless of what you do as part of your day-to-day job, this course is relevant to you. Experience with Profiler and Trace is expected, along with an understanding of typical troubleshooting scenarios in SQL Server. I hope you'll join me as we explore the world of Extended Events with this course, SQL Server: Replacing Profiler with Extended Events, here on Pluralsight.

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