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Managing SQL Server Database Size Checks

Take control of your SQL Server database growth and performance with Nodinite's advanced size monitoring. This feature empowers you to:

  • ✅ Instantly detect when SQL databases or transaction logs exceed defined size thresholds
  • ✅ Automate alerts for oversized databases or unavailable resources
  • ✅ Perform remote shrink actions directly from Nodinite
  • ✅ Ensure compliance and optimize storage for cost savings
  • ✅ Visualize and manage all monitored databases in a single dashboard

Info

On this page, you'll learn how to proactively monitor SQL Server database and transaction log sizes, receive automated alerts, and take direct action to resolve issues before they impact your business.

The Database Monitoring Agent actively monitors the size of your configured SQL Databases. Each monitored database is represented in Nodinite as a unique Resource, providing real-time state evaluation. You can monitor size status using Monitor Views and trigger external alerts through any installed Alarm Plugins.

Unlike Azure SQL Database Size Checks, this feature also monitors the transaction log, giving you complete visibility into your on-premises SQL Server environment.

Size check monitoring for SQL Databases groups Resources by the Category SQL Size Checks:
Category - SQL Size Checks
Here's an example of a Monitor View filtered by the 'SQL Size Checks' category.

  • Your SQL Size Checks within the SQL database(s) are listed in Nodinite as resources, where the name of the SQL Database becomes the Resource name.
graph LR subgraph "Configuration" c["fal:fa-code 1 SQL Database"] --> r[fal:fa-lightbulb 1 Resource] end

This diagram illustrates how each SQL Database is mapped to a monitored Resource in Nodinite for size tracking.

What are the key features for Monitoring SQL Database Size Checks?

  • State Evaluation – Instantly monitors and evaluates the size of each SQL database and transaction log
  • Remote Actions – Execute Remote Actions such as threshold edits and database shrink directly from Nodinite
  • Automated Alerts – Receive notifications for oversized databases or unavailable resources
  • Customizable Thresholds – Set global or specific size thresholds for warnings and errors
  • Centralized Visibility – View all database and log sizes in a single dashboard for rapid response

What is evaluated for SQL Database Size Checks?

The different possible evaluated states for your SQL Database are provided in the table below:

State Status Description Actions
Unavailable Resource not available Evaluation of the 'Database size' is not possible due to:
  • Network or security-related problems
  • A specific configuration exists with a database that no longer exists
 Review prerequisites
Error Error state raised The database or transaction log size is above the error threshold value Edit
Warning Warning state raised The database or transaction log size is above the warning threshold value Edit
OK Online Database and log sizes are within defined thresholds Edit

Tip

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

How do I configure the thresholds for SQL Database Size Checks?

Monitoring of SQL Database Size Checks is enabled when the checkbox Enable SQL database monitoring is checked from within the Remote Configuration dialogue for the Database Monitoring Agent. When checked, the database provided by the ConnectionString is monitored.

There are two different ways to configure thresholds for the category SQL Size Checks:

Global configuration

From the SQL databases tab, you can manage the global settings. Click on the Size check tab.
Global Configuration
Here's an example of the Size check tab with global monitoring thresholds for size-related checks.

You can then edit the available properties.

  • Enable Database Size Check Monitoring – When checked, monitoring for database and log size is enabled
  • Database Size
    • Warning: Allowed size before state evaluates as Warning
    • Error: Allowed size before state evaluates as Error
  • Transaction Log Size
    • Warning: Allowed size before state evaluates as Warning
    • Error: Allowed size before state evaluates as Error

Actions

The Database Monitoring Agent category SQL Size Checks supports the following Remote Actions:

Remote Actions
Here's an example of available Remote Actions for SQL Size Checks.

Edit thresholds

Click on the Edit thresholds menu item in the Actions button to manage the specific monitoring thresholds.
Edit thresholds Action menu item

Then, the following dialogue displays.
Edit thresholds
Here's an example of the dialogue for changing global thresholds to a specific threshold.

The Default values are set using Remote Configuration. Review the Global configuration section of this document for further details.

The same properties as described in the Global configuration are available, and in addition, the following can be managed:

  • Description – Short description for this specific size check

Shrink

New 6.1.0.0 If the Service account in use by the Monitoring Agent has sufficient permissions, the end-user can invoke a background task to run a DBCC SHRINKDATABASE (%databasename%) command.

Click on the Shrink menu item in the Actions button to invoke the background operation.
Shrink menu item Action

Next, the end-user is prompted to confirm intent:
Confirm Shrink Operation
User must confirm intent to proceed with the Shrink operation.

Once invoked, review the diagnostics log to verify successful completion. If you open the Edit thresholds modal, you should see a decrease in allocated space after waiting. The operation may take some time to complete depending on the amount of data to deallocate.
Shrink operation output

Here's an example of the Shrink operation output after successful completion.

Save

You must click 'Save' or 'Save and close' for changes to persist. The new settings/thresholds are evaluated on the next synchronization.
Save and Close buttons
Here's an example of the Save options.

Note

Depending on the synchronization interval set for the agent, there might be a delay before the Web Client reflects upon the change. You can force the agent to synchronize the Configuration for all Nodinite Monitoring Agents.

Save and close – Save and close the dialogue.

Cancel – Close the dialogue without saving any changes.

Next Step

Add or manage Monitor View

Azure - SQL Size Checks
Database Monitoring Agent
SQL Categories
Resources
Monitoring Agents
Monitor Views