---
title: "Create a SQL Server Database Alert | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "03/14/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: "database-engine"
ms.component: "performance-monitor"
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ms.suite: "sql"
ms.technology: 
  - "database-engine"
ms.tgt_pltfrm: ""
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "database performance [SQL Server], alerts"
  - "alerts [SQL Server], creating"
  - "thresholds [SQL Server]"
  - "database alerts [SQL Server]"
  - "tuning databases [SQL Server], alerts"
  - "monitoring performance [SQL Server], alerts"
  - "monitoring server performance [SQL Server], alerts"
  - "database monitoring [SQL Server], alerts"
  - "server performance [SQL Server], alerts"
ms.assetid: 0511136a-1b6b-4095-aa45-39e77b67aba2
caps.latest.revision: 22
author: MikeRayMSFT
ms.author: mikeray
manager: craigg
---
# Create a SQL Server Database Alert
[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md](../../includes/appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]
  You can use System Monitor to create an alert that is raised when a threshold value for a System Monitor counter has been reached. In response to the alert, System Monitor launches an application, such as a custom application written to handle the alert condition. For example, you could create an alert that is raised when the number of deadlocks exceeds a specific value.  
  
 Alerts also can be defined by using [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)] and [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] Agent. For more information, see [Alerts](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/3f57d0f0-4781-46ec-82cd-b751dc5affef).  
  
 For more information about using System Monitor to set up a [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] database alert, see [Set Up a SQL Server Database Alert (Windows)](../../relational-databases/performance/set-up-a-sql-server-database-alert-windows.md) .  
  
## See Also  
 [sp_add_alert (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-add-alert-transact-sql.md)   
 [sys.sysperfinfo (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-compatibility-views/sys-sysperfinfo-transact-sql.md)