Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server monitoring with NRDOT

Preview

We're still working on this feature, but we'd love for you to try it out!

This feature is currently provided as part of a preview pursuant to our pre-release policies.

Get deep insights into your SQL Server performance with our OpenTelemetry-based monitoring solution. Track database metrics, analyze slow queries, monitor resource usage, and correlate database performance with your applications.

This NRDOT-based approach complements our existing On-Host Integration (OHI) by leveraging OpenTelemetry standards for database monitoring, making it easier to integrate with your existing observability stack.

Key features:

OpenTelemetry standards: Integrates seamlessly with existing observability tools
Comprehensive metrics: 50+ database performance indicators
Query-level insights: Identify and optimize slow-performing queries
Flexible deployment: Works with self-hosted and cloud environments
APM correlation: Connect database performance to application traces

Choose your installation method

You can install NRDOT Collector for SQL Server monitoring in following ways:

Self-hosted environments: Manual installation on your own infrastructure
- Windows self-hosted
- Linux self-hosted
AWS RDS environments: Cloud-managed SQL Server monitoring:
- Windows RDS monitoring
- Linux RDS monitoring

Guided install

To install this through the New Relic UI instead, go to one.newrelic.com > Integrations & Agents > MSSQL (OpenTelemetry) . Follow the on-screen instructions to set up the integration.

Installation at a glance

Prerequisites

New Relic account with a valid license key
Network connectivity between the host where you install the NRDOT Collector and your Microsoft SQL Server.
Network connectivity to New Relic OTLP endpoints documentation
SQL Server requirements, you'll need:
- SQL Server 2017 or later
- Administrative access to SQL Server (sysadmin role or equivalent)
- Network connectivity between collector and SQL Server on port 1433 or custom port
This integration is available as a part of New Relic public preview program. Check with your Organization Manager to opt in from the Previews & Trials page.

For supported detailed prerequisites, refer to the dedicated prerequisites section of installation document.

Install NRDOT Collector

Choose your installation path based on your infrastructure:

Guided install: To install via New Relic UI, go to one.newrelic.com > Integrations & Agents > MSSQL (OpenTelemetry) . Follow the on-screen instructions to set up the integration. This page covers the CLI install path only.
Self-hosted environments: Manual installation on your own infrastructure
- Windows self-hosted
- Linux self-hosted
AWS RDS environments: Cloud-managed SQL Server monitoring
- Windows RDS monitoring
- Linux RDS monitoring

Configure monitoring users

Create a dedicated Microsoft SQL Server user with the necessary permissions to allow the NRDOT Collector to collect metrics and query performance data. The user should have read-only access to the required.

Configure NRDOT Collector

Configure the NRDOT Collector to connect to your Microsoft SQL Server instance. This involves specifying the connection details, authentication method, and any additional configuration options required for your environment.

Restart NRDOT Collector

After configuring the NRDOT Collector, restart the service to apply the changes and begin collecting data from your Microsoft SQL Server instance.

Find and use your data

Once your data is being collected, you can access comprehensive SQL Server database monitoring through the New Relic UI.

To find your SQL Server database entity in New Relic:

Go to one.newrelic.com > All capabilities > Databases.
From the Entity type dropdown, select MSSQL instance, then click Apply.
Select your SQL Server database from the list of entities to view its dashboard, metrics, and query performance data.

Linux instrumentation for self-hosted environments

Learn how to set up MSSQL monitoring in self-hosted Linux environments with New Relic.

Windows instrumentation for self-hosted environments

Learn how to set up MSSQL monitoring in self-hosted Windows environments with New Relic.

Metrics reference

Learn about the available metrics collected by the NRDOT Collector.