In order to access SQL Profiler, you need to run a profiling session on a data source registered in Data Source Explorer.

To run a profiling session

  • In Data Source Explorer, right-click on a data source and select Profile As > Data Source. The profiling session begins.

Once a profiling session launches, it runs until you stop it or it has run for its specified length of time. You can stop a session by clicking the Stop icon on the right-hand side of the Profiling progress bar.

When the profiling session is complete, the first two sections (Load Chart and Top Activity) are populated with information about the database load. You can then begin analyzing the data and identifying problem areas.