SQL Server Extended Events is a powerful feature in Microsoft SQL Server that enables database administrators to capture and analyze events that occur within the server.

Extended Events provides a lightweight and customizable infrastructure that can capture information about various system and user-defined events, such as SQL Server errors, queries, and database changes. This information can be used for troubleshooting, performance tuning, and auditing purposes.

The architecture of Extended Events consists of three main components: the event session, the event target, and the event data.

  • The event session defines the events to capture, the data to collect, and the conditions for capturing the events.
  • The event target determines how the captured data is stored and analyzed, such as in a file or table.
  • The event data contains information about the event, including the event name, timestamp, and data values.

With Extended Events, DBAs can create custom event sessions tailored to their specific needs, and capture only the data they require. This helps minimize the overhead on the system and ensures that the captured events are relevant and useful.

Overall, SQL Server Extended Events is a powerful tool that provides rich insights into the behavior of SQL Server, helping DBAs to optimize and troubleshoot their databases more effectively.

Through the analysis of management views related to extended events, we are able to create a dashboard that facilitates searching for event names and descriptions.