---
title: "Establish a Performance Baseline | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "03/14/2017"
ms.prod: sql
ms.prod_service: "database-engine, sql-database"
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ms.technology: performance
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "database performance [SQL Server], baselines"
  - "monitoring performance [SQL Server], baselines"
  - "tuning databases [SQL Server], baselines"
  - "server performance [SQL Server], baselines"
  - "performance [SQL Server], baselines"
  - "baseline performance [SQL Server]"
  - "measurements for baseline statistics [SQL Server]"
  - "monitoring server performance [SQL Server], establishing baseline"
  - "database monitoring [SQL Server], baselines"
ms.assetid: dc5aa8d6-2507-448f-ad86-4196443915fc
author: julieMSFT
ms.author: jrasnick
monikerRange: "=azuresqldb-current||>=sql-server-2016||=sqlallproducts-allversions||>=sql-server-linux-2017||=azuresqldb-mi-current"
---
# Establish a Performance Baseline
[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md](../../includes/appliesto-ss-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md.md)]
  To determine whether your [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] system is performing optimally, take performance measurements at regular intervals over time, even when no problems occur, to establish a server performance baseline. Compare each new set of measurements with those taken earlier.  
  
 The following areas affect the performance of [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)]:  
  
-   System resources (hardware)  
  
-   Network architecture  
  
-   The operating system  
  
-   Database applications  
  
-   Client applications  
  
 At a minimum, use baseline measurements to determine:  
  
-   Peak and off-peak hours of operation.  
  
-   Production-query or batch-command response times.  
  
-   Database backup and restore completion times.  
  
 After you establish a server performance baseline, compare the baseline statistics to current server performance. Numbers far above or far below your baseline are candidates for further investigation. They may indicate areas in need of tuning or reconfiguration. For example, if the amount of time to execute a set of queries increases, examine the queries to determine if they can be rewritten, or if column statistics or new indexes must be added.  
  
## See Also  
 [sp_configure (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-configure-transact-sql.md)