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Monitoring SQL Server Agent Service

Ensure your SQL Server Agent service stays operational with the Nodinite Database Monitoring Agent. Prevent job execution failures, automate service availability alerts, and maintain continuous database task automation.

Why Monitor SQL Server Agent Service?

The SQL Server Agent service is the backbone of database automation, executing scheduled jobs, maintenance plans, and SSIS packages. When the agent service stops, the consequences are severe:

  • All scheduled jobs stop executing – Backups, ETL processes, maintenance tasks cease completely
  • Data loss risk – Backup jobs don't run, leaving databases vulnerable
  • Business process failures – Automated data feeds, reports, and integrations fail silently
  • SLA breaches – Contractual guarantees for data processing and availability are violated
  • Hidden failures – Service can stop without immediate symptoms until jobs are expected to run

Without proactive monitoring, teams discover the agent service is stopped only after critical jobs fail to execute—often hours or days later.

What Does Nodinite Monitor?

The Database Monitoring Agent monitors the SQL Server Agent Windows service operational status, providing:

✅ Service availability detection – Instant alerts when SQL Server Agent service stops or is disabled
✅ Proactive failure prevention – Detect service issues before scheduled jobs fail
✅ Agent XPs configuration validation – Identify when Agent XPs are disabled but service is running
✅ Centralized dashboard – Monitor SQL Server Agent status across all instances from one interface
✅ 24/7 automated monitoring – No manual service status checks required

When to Use SQL Agent Service Monitoring?

Use this feature when you need to:

  • Ensure job execution capability – Verify SQL Server Agent is running before jobs are scheduled to execute
  • Protect backup automation – Confirm backup jobs can run as scheduled
  • Support critical batch processes – Maintain overnight ETL and data processing automation
  • Meet uptime SLAs – Detect agent service failures before SLA breaches occur
  • Empower NOC teams – Enable operations staff to monitor service health without SQL Server expertise
  • Support 24/7 operations – Automate alerts for after-hours service failures

Note

SQL Express compatibility: SQL Server Express editions do not include the SQL Server Agent service. This feature is only applicable to SQL Server Standard, Enterprise, and Developer editions.

How It Works

The Database Monitoring Agent continuously monitors the SQL Server Agent service status for each configured SQL Server instance where this feature is enabled. Each monitored SQL Server Agent Service is represented in Nodinite as a Resource. The evaluated state is visible in Monitor Views and can trigger external alerts using any installed Alarm Plugins.

The SQL Server Agent Service checks are grouped by the Category SQL Agent Service.

  • Your SQL Server Agent Service is listed in Nodinite as a Resource, where the Display name of the SQL Server configuration becomes the Resource name with "- SQL Agent" suffix.

graph LR subgraph "Configuration" c["fal:fa-code 1 SQL Server Instance"] --> r[fal:fa-lightbulb 1 Resource - SQL Agent] end

Each enabled SQL Server instance with SQL Agent monitoring creates one Resource for the agent service.

What are the key features for Monitoring SQL Server Agent Service?

  • State Evaluation – Monitors and evaluates the operational status of the SQL Server Agent service
  • Service Availability – Detects when the Windows service is stopped, disabled, or inaccessible
  • Configuration Validation – Identifies Agent XPs configuration issues

What is evaluated for SQL Server Agent Service?

The different possible evaluated states for the SQL Server Agent Service are provided in the table below:

State Status Description Actions
Unavailable Resource not available Evaluation of the 'SQL Server Agent Service' is not possible either due to network or security-related problems Review prerequisites
Error Agent service stopped or disabled The SQL Server Agent Windows service is not running, is disabled, or Agent XPs are not enabled Start SQL Agent service
Edit configuration
OK Agent service running The SQL Server Agent service is running and operational Edit configuration

Tip

The System Administrator can override the Monitoring state using the Expected State feature on the Resource within Nodinite.

Configuration

To enable monitoring of the SQL Server Agent service:

  1. Open Remote Configuration for the Database Monitoring Agent
  2. Navigate to the SQL Servers tab
  3. Expand the SQL Server instance configuration
  4. On the General tab, check the SQL Agent - Enabled checkbox
  5. Click Save or Save and close

SQL Agent Enabled Checkbox
Enable SQL Agent service monitoring in the General tab

Detailed configuration steps are described in the Database Monitoring Agent Configuration user guide.

Troubleshooting

SQL Agent Service Stopped

If the SQL Server Agent service is stopped, Monitor Views will display a Resource error message. The LogText may display:

SQL Server blocked access to procedure 'sys.xp_sqlagent_enum_jobs' of component 'Agent XPs' 
because this component is turned off as part of the security configuration for this server.

Resolution:

  1. Start the SQL Agent Windows Service for the relevant SQL Server instance using Microsoft Services MMC (Recommended)
  2. Enable Agent XPs via script if you cannot start the agent:
SP_CONFIGURE 'SHOW ADVANCE',1
GO
RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE
GO
SP_CONFIGURE 'AGENT XPs',1
GO
RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE
GO

For detailed troubleshooting guidance, see the Database Monitoring Agent Troubleshooting guide.

Next Step

Add or manage Monitor View
Configure SQL Jobs Monitoring

Database Monitoring Agent
SQL Jobs – Monitor individual SQL Agent job execution
Monitoring Agents
Monitor Views
Resources
Troubleshooting