Performancemonitor from Erikdarlingdata is a free MCP server tool built with C# and .NET 8. It provides SQL Server performance monitoring and AI analysis capabilities. Distributed via executable installers, it offers a Full Edition for persistent data collection via SQL Agent jobs and a Lite Edition as a standalone desktop application. The tool connects to various SQL Server instances, including on-premises and cloud platforms, using secure authentication methods. It functions as a local Model Context Protocol server, enabling AI assistants to interact with performance data for insights and troubleshooting, serving a specialized audience of SQL Server professionals.

What does Performancemonitor connect to?

Performancemonitor connects to diverse SQL Server instances, including SQL Server 2016-2025, Azure SQL Managed Instance, and AWS RDS for SQL Server. The Lite Edition also supports Azure SQL Database. The Full Edition installs a dedicated database on the target SQL Server for data collection via SQL Agent jobs. The Lite Edition operates as a desktop application, querying Dynamic Management Views remotely and storing collected data locally in an embedded DuckDB. Its MCP server component binds to localhost.

Core features and tools

The tool offers capabilities for AI analysis via callable read-only tools such as get_analysis_facts, compare_analysis, audit_config, get_analysis_findings, and mute_analysis_finding. Agent-driven MCP write tools enable authoring Custom Views using describe_custom_view_catalog, managing mute rules, tuning alert thresholds, and bulk adding or removing monitored servers. It supports conversational interaction with language models like Claude and other LLM-powered analysis tools, functioning as a Model Context Protocol server for AI assistants.

Who is it for?

Performancemonitor targets SQL Server administrators, database administrators, consultants, contractors, and developers. It assists professionals needing to troubleshoot performance issues, particularly when commercial monitoring software is not an option. It helps identify and diagnose problematic queries, wait stats, CPU, memory, TempDB, file I/O, and blocking. This tool empowers users to gain quick insights into issues like deadlocks and workload spikes. Skip this if you require remote access to the MCP server.

How to get started

The authentication model for connecting to SQL Servers is the same as that used by SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). Passwords are stored in Windows Credential Manager using DPAPI encryption.

Use cases

• Real-time performance monitoring and alerting through data collection and visualization, with system tray and email alerts for critical issues.
• AI-powered performance analysis by allowing language models to interact with collected performance data to gain quick insights into issues like deadlocks, query performance, and workload spikes.
• Detailed troubleshooting of specific performance problems by providing views for wait stats, CPU, memory, TempDB, file I/O, blocking, and query performance trends, enabling users to identify and diagnose problematic queries.

Performancemonitor is a powerful, free tool for SQL Server performance management, blending traditional monitoring with AI analysis. It supports various SQL Server environments and provides secure authentication. The distinction between Full and Lite Editions offers flexibility for deployment and data storage. Its local MCP server enables powerful conversational interaction with AI clients for deeper insights into database health.