Overview

We are excited to announce our new SQL Server client connection summary feature for SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc. This addition provides visibility to the clients connecting to your SQL Server instances, helping to simplify monitoring, security and management. Customers wanting to determine the clients that are connecting to their SQL Server instances need to poll the sys.dm_exec_sessions dynamic management view to identify these connections and track activity. With this feature in SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc, the agent is able to capture this information, providing visibility into which clients are connecting to your SQL Server instances. The system automatically polls the DMV at hourly intervals and aggregates these connections for you, enabling more informed decision-making and streamlined operations.

How does it work?

With this new feature:

• Hourly Data Collection: The monitoring agent collects client connection data at hourly intervals using the sys.dm_exec_sessions dynamic view.
• 30-Day Data Storage: The data is stored in telemetry for 30 days. This allows for extended analysis.
• Data Summarization: The unique client connections are summarized over a time period of your choice within the past 30 days.

How to Use the Client Connection Summary

Using this feature is simple. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Enable the Client Connection Feature

Navigate to the Azure portal and select your SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc instance. Under the "Monitoring" tab, navigate to the SQL Server Connections view. Ensure that the feature is enabled. If it is not, click the button to enable data collection. This initiates the task for collecting data at hourly intervals. 

Step 2: Access the Client Connection Summary

Once enabled, you will soon start seeing an overview of client connections.

Step 3: Analyze the Data

Filter for specific program name values of interest. You can also change the Time Range as required and examine the data to understand connection patterns.

Call to Action

We encourage you to use the Client Connection Summary feature of SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc. Here are a few steps to get started:

• Explore the Feature: Visit the Azure portal and enable client connection tracking on your SQL Server instances. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the view and the insights it provides.
• Join the Community: Share your experiences and insights with the Azure Arc community. Join our forums and participate in discussions to learn how others are leveraging this feature to optimize their server environments.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest updates and best practices for SQL Server enabled by Azure Arc by following our blog and subscribing to our newsletter. We regularly share tips, tutorials, and success stories from our users.

We are confident that the Client Connection summary will be a valuable addition to your SQL Server management toolkit. We look forward to your feedback and success stories as you begin to explore this new feature.