SQL Profiler Performance Considerations

Here are some hints and tips that can help you use SQL Profiler more effectively.

Running Too Many Traces

If an instance of Microsoft® SQL Server™ is running too slowly, SQL Profiler may have too many traces or a complex trace may be running. Stop any running traces to see whether performance improves. If stopping traces improves performance, then examine your traces carefully to make sure they are not tracing more information than necessary. Make sure you are not running too many complex traces simultaneously.

Managing Large Trace Files

Large trace files can use significant amounts of disk space and can be slow and expensive to send across networks. Reduce the size of a saved trace file by removing unwanted event types and/or data columns and applying filters to limit the trace to a specific trace event criteria, such as ClientProcessID, SPID, or a set of values for Application Name. Save the trace file with the same name or a new name.

Warning  Saving a trace file with the same name overwrites the original file, causing any of the originally captured events or data columns that were removed or filtered to be lost.