Voice of the DBA

Tag: syndicated

Monday Monitor Tips: Finding the Hostname for Queries

I was chatting with a customer recently and they wanted to know which host was sending in queries that were causing problems in real time. This post looks at where you can find the hostname for running queries, which is in two places.

This is part of a series of posts on Redgate Monitor. Click to see the other posts.

The Server Overview

There are two places where you can see the host name. From the server overview, you can go to the current activity, or the new Query Executions tab in preview.

Current Activity

In the server overview, there is a lot of data, but most people scroll down to see the list of queries, such as this list from the ssc-db-n3 instance.

There is the database and lots of data, but no hostname. The reason is that these are aggregates. Each of these queries has run many times, possibly from different hosts. This is a historical view.

The better way to look for details on certain problem queries now is to look for current activity. I’ve zoomed in and highlighted this item below.

If I click that, I get an sp_who, or sp_whoisActive view of the server, and I can see the logins listed here. That’s helpful.

Still no hostname, but if I pick a query from a login, and see the details, I see this view.

In the lower left corner, I get the hostname. I’ve zoomed in below.

We could add that in the main box, but we’re trying to surface the most important info, and for most of our customers, that isn’t the hostname. However, we have added it in the detail.

If you’re like it in the main box, or would like to choose which fields are there (maybe host and not program?), send us a note to your rep or to sales@red-gate.com.

Query Executions

For some of our servers, we have a new Query Executions tab that uses Extended Events to get some data. The Workload02 system has this enabled. You can see the tab at the top, and then the view of this below.

If I zoom in to the lower right, you can see the hostname as part of the details for query executions, along with other data. As you are examining the details of those queries which have run for over 5 seconds, you can get the metadata about the host, application, and more.

Summary

Hostnames are available, you just need to learn where to look. Hence this post. Hopefully this gives you a quick tip on how to find them.

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April 21, 2025
A New Word: Immerensis

immerensis – n. the maddening inability to understand the reasons why someone loves you – almost as if you’re selling them a used car that you know has a ton of problems and requires daily tinkering just to get it to run normally, but no matter how much you try to warn them, they seem all the more eager to hop behind the wheel and see where this puppy can go.

Most people likely go through this, unless they are very self-centered and narcissistic. Come to think of it, maybe “most” is the wrong description. I find too many people being self-centered already.

In any case, I think lots of us wonder why someone really loves us, especially early in our relationships. We have some self-doubt, we always want to make a great impression on our dates/partners, avoiding showing them the “crazy” inside of us. I know lots of woman who avoid being seen without makeup. I know men who want to be sure they are showered and clean, avoiding having a date see them at the gym.

I think it’s natural as you get closer to someone, as you let yourself be vulnerable to have some fear. Hopefully it’s not the maddening inability of immerensis, but just a manageable “I wonder if they’d like the whole me.”

You should let them in. If they don’t want all of you, they don’t deserve you.

From the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

April 18, 2025
Advice I Like: Tipping

When in doubt, overtip – from Excellent Advice for Living

This is close to my heart, since I spent a lot of time in college and after working as a waiter and bartender.

In the US we have a culture of 15-20% of tipping at restaurants. There are also guidelines for people handling your baggage, valets, etc. In the EU/Asia, often tipping isn’t a common thing, but that is changing a bit. I’m less familiar there, so this is my US view.

I like to tip for service, but I also know that many people in restaurants get a very low wage. When I started working as a waiter, I got US$2.01/hour. When I stopped, I was still getting $2.01/hr. In that time, the minimum wage went from $3.35 to $5.25. The reason my wage stayed low is that it was assumed I made tips that raised me to the minimum or higher.

My view is that if I can’t tip, I don’t go out. I tip 15% as the service for someone bringing me food and drinks. Even if the service isn’t great, the person deserves to be paid for their work and they aren’t really getting that from the establishment.

If they do a good job and are pleasant, I usually tip 20%. If they’re great I go higher.

However, if I’m not sure, or maybe I realize I might not be in a good mood or distracted, I overtip. Especially for breakfast service.

It’s a few dollars for me, but it makes a big difference to someone else’s life.

Note: The current post-pandemic world where every counter service place adds tips also annoys me. I think most of these people are being paid minimum wage and I don’t often tip, but I do when people are pleasant. Or I appreciate their being there. I always tip at the airport counters because those people are driving a long way and I really, really appreciate they are open at 6m for my early flights.

I’ve been posting New Words on Fridays from a book I was reading, however, a friend thought they were a little depressing. They should be as they are obscure sorrows. I like them because they make me think.

To counter-balance those, I’m adding in thoughts on advice, mostly from Kevin Kelley’s book. You can read all these posts under the advice tag.

April 11, 2025
T-SQL Tuesday #185–Being a Video Star

This month we have an interesting invite. Erik Darling is the host, and since he does a lot of video blogs, he’s asking for a video submission for T-SQL Tuesday. The topic and content is up to each of us, but the format is video.

That’s funny as I’m writing this blog, but the content below is in the video. What’s in there? You have to watch.

I’m also looking for hosts for the future and have a few slots in 2025 still available for H2. I’ll also note that any month could be a video post for the topic if you want, though I suspect a few hosts might not love having to watch videos. Some, however, will love it.

My Submission – Testing the Flat File Wizard

Here’s my submission:

April 8, 2025