SQL Server Query Plan Analysis
SQL Sentry Plan Explorer builds upon the graphical plan view in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) to make query plan analysis more efficient. It is a lightweight standalone app that contains many of the plan analysis features introduced in SQL Sentry v6, and does not require a collector service or database. Features include color-coding that highlights potential trouble areas, multiple grids and other views to allow for sorting and deeper analysis, and collection of real runtime metrics with the generation of actual plans from within the tool.
Why GoPRO?
There are two versions of Plan Explorer: FREE and PRO. PRO includes all of the functionality in the FREE version, plus a set of features aimed at further enhancing your query tuning and troubleshooting experience. All PRO features are also included in SQL Sentry Performance Advisor. Check out the PRO features.
Plan Explorer Benefits
Speed
Plan Explorer helps you quickly get to the root of tough query tuning issues by making it obvious where issues exist in your execution plan. From highlighting expensive operations to allowing you to sort by any metric in most grids, you're never more than a click or two away from pinpointing a tuning opportunity. In Plan Explorer PRO you can open and compare multiple plans at the same time within one window, and quickly review changes due to different versions of your query.
Visibility
Plan Explorer exposes many details about the operators in a plan that either aren't available or are very cumbersome to obtain otherwise. With actual execution plan generation you can see runtime metrics such as Reads, CPU and Duration, as well as thread distribution in parallel operators, all without manually setting statistics options or digging into a plan's properties. In Plan Explorer PRO you can even view actual wait stats when you generate an actual plan.
Collaboration
With Plan Explorer you can share .sqlplan and .queryanalysis files with colleagues. In Plan Explorer PRO you can share your entire session, including revision history and comments – even if your colleagues are using the free version.
SQL Sentry Software Benefits
Continual Innovation
While other SQL Server monitoring tools have stagnated, SQL Sentry has continued to push the envelope, introducing several industry firsts such as our patent-pending SQL Server disk analysis, unrestricted historical performance reporting, comprehensive deadlock analysis, performance event calendars, intelligent wait analysis, and many more cutting edge features.
Lower Overhead
SQL Sentry’s tools are built to be minimally invasive and incur the lowest possible hit on monitored servers via our agent-less architecture... while other SQL Server monitoring tools incur far more load than they will ever help you to resolve. Some even filter out all of their own query activity so you never see it! Don’t be fooled by misleading claims of lower overhead – install SQL Sentry alongside other tools to see exactly how much of a performance hit they incur. Also, download our Overhead Analysis.
Lower Cost
SQL Sentry software continually delivers more features, functionality and utility than other SQL Server software tools, at a lower price point. With subscription-based and site licensing options, the relative savings can grow even further.
Higher Quality
SQL Sentry software undergoes intensive regression, scalability and overhead testing in our internal test lab of over 100 SQL Servers. It is then real-world tested in one of the largest SQL Server hosting environments in the U.S., until it is deemed stable enough to release to the public... no matter how long it takes. After release, our integrated, automated exception reporter gives us a perpetual feedback loop with our customers, who are continually surprised to receive a response from a real human usually within hours of submitting an exception.
Scalability
SQL Sentry software is installed in some of the largest SQL Server environments in the world. Our low overhead, agent-less, site-based approach provides almost linear scalability. We have yet to meet a SQL Server environment that the SQL Sentry architecture can’t handle.
World-class Support
SQL Sentry provides the highest level of support services you will find in the SQL Server software world. Our clients continually rave about the responsiveness and technical competence of our support team. You will never speak to a non-technical front-line person that doesn’t understand SQL Server or SQL Sentry software. To the contrary, you will often be speaking directly to a development team member.
Credibility
We've been a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for many years, and our customer survey results say it better than we ever could. Our marks across the board are consistently higher than other Microsoft partners. All customers fell into the "Champion" quadrant, ranking us amongst the top Microsoft ISVs in the world.
Click here for the survey results.
