The Importance of Detecting SQL Server Deadlocks

Deadlocks present a unique issue in database administration. They cause application performance issues due to problems with the applications logic or the structure of the database itself. But the real issue related to these deadlocks is detection. SQL Server will trigger a deadlock, declare a winner and just keep moving along. SQL Server thinks it fixed the issue. However, if you have a systemic dealock issue or a deadlock scenario that keeps reoccuring you may not even know it. Unless you are looking for it.

Now, you can configure the dealock trace flag to grab deadlock information, but it still requires a lot of work to decyper what is accually happening. Foglight for SQL Server makes this much easier. Notice the ability to see all the deadlocks over a selected time frame:

Without a process for capturing this information, how would you know? Foglight does an amazing job tracking a lot of things. Deadlocks are one of the more important items.

Check out Foglight for SQL Server and register for Quests June 14th Webinar: DBA vs Deadlock: How to Out-Index a Deadly Blocking Scenario

Jason Hall and Kendra Little will break it down for you.