One of the most frequent questions which I receive from my client is about activity going inside SQL Server and how to list all sessions.
Watch a Running Query: Live Plan From Activity Monitor
To watch a running query, open Activity Monitor in SSMS 22, find the query in Active Expensive Queries, and open its live execution plan. It also shows the settings that older versions need and a T-SQL query that reads the same facts.
Activity Monitor Keeps Freezing: Fix WMI and Permissions
When Activity Monitor keeps freezing, the cause can be a missing SQL permission or a missing WMI permission for the Windows account. This post tests the SQL side on SQL Server 2025, walks through the WMI security fix and explains what CIMV2 means. It also gives a query that reads the same activity without Activity Monitor.
Sessionizing Events: Grouping Activity Into Sessions by Idle Gap
Your events have a user and a time but no visit ID. Here is how to infer sessions from an idle gap with LAG and a running sum.
SQL SERVER – How to Find Free Log Space in SQL Server?
Free Log Space is reusable capacity inside an allocated transaction log. I measure disk space and file size separately.
SQL SERVER – Msg 32055 – sp_refresh_log_shipping_monitor – There Was an Error Configuring the Remote Monitor Server
Msg 32055, error configuring the remote monitor server, hides the real error. Read from the procedure on SQL Server 2025, with a safer fix than sa.
Hey DBA – Baselines and Performance Monitoring – Why? – Notes from the Field #058
Mike Walsh explains why baselines and performance monitoring matter for every DBA, and how to know what normal looks like on your servers.