SQL Server: Introduction to Extended Events
Extended Events is SQL Server’s modern replacement for Profiler—and most DBAs still don’t know how to leverage it effectively. This course cuts through the complexity, showing you how to capture, filter, and analyse database activity with surgical precision. You’ll move from reactive firefighting to proactive performance intelligence.
AIU.ac Verdict: Essential for SQL Server DBAs and performance engineers who need to diagnose bottlenecks without crippling production systems. Jonathan Kehayias is a recognised authority in this niche. One caveat: you’ll need hands-on SQL Server access to get real value from the labs.
What This Course Covers
You’ll start with Extended Events fundamentals—why it matters, how it differs from Profiler, and the architecture that makes it lightweight. Then you’ll build practical skills: creating sessions, configuring targets (ring buffer, event file, histogram), filtering events intelligently, and reading the output without drowning in noise. The course emphasises real-world scenarios: capturing slow queries, tracking deadlocks, monitoring resource contention, and troubleshooting connection issues.
By module three, you’re writing production-grade monitoring solutions. You’ll learn to automate event capture, integrate with your existing monitoring stack, and interpret results under pressure. Kehayias includes hands-on labs where you’ll configure sessions, run workloads, and diagnose actual performance problems—the kind you’ll face Monday morning.
Who Is This Course For?
Ideal for:
- SQL Server DBAs: Need to move beyond Profiler and master the modern diagnostic toolkit. This is table-stakes knowledge for anyone managing SQL Server 2012 or later in production.
- Performance engineers & tuning specialists: Extended Events is your precision instrument for capturing exactly what you need without overhead. Ideal if you’re optimising queries or hunting elusive bottlenecks.
- Data platform engineers: Building monitoring and observability into your SQL Server infrastructure? Extended Events is a core component. This course shows you how to integrate it properly.
May not suit:
- SQL Server beginners: You’ll need solid foundational SQL Server knowledge (T-SQL, basic administration) before this makes sense. Start with core DBA fundamentals first.
- Non-SQL Server professionals: This is SQL Server-specific. If you work with PostgreSQL, MySQL, or other platforms, the concepts won’t transfer directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does SQL Server: Introduction to Extended Events take?
5 hours of video content. Plan for 6–8 hours total if you’re working through the hands-on labs and experimenting with your own SQL Server instance.
Do I need SQL Server installed to take this course?
Strongly recommended. Pluralsight provides sandboxes for some labs, but you’ll get far more value with your own SQL Server instance (2012 or later) where you can experiment freely.
Is this course suitable if I’ve only used SQL Profiler?
Perfect. Kehayias explicitly covers the migration from Profiler to Extended Events, so you’ll understand what’s changed and why Extended Events is superior for modern SQL Server.
Will this help me troubleshoot production performance issues?
Yes. The course is built around real diagnostic scenarios—slow queries, deadlocks, resource contention. You’ll learn to capture and interpret the data you need to solve actual problems.
Course by Jonathan Kehayias on Pluralsight. Duration: 5h 0m. Last verified by AIU.ac: March 2026.
