Auto Close Configuration

Microsoft.SQLServer.Windows.Monitor.Database.AutoCloseConfiguration (UnitMonitor)

Monitors the Auto Close setting for the database on Windows. Note that this monitor is disabled by default. Use overrides to enable it when necessary.

Knowledge Base article:

Summary

This monitor checks the Auto Close database setting. Since this monitor is part of the overall standard requirements, an alert would be generated if the Auto Close setting does not meet the specified standard. Note that this monitor is disabled by default. Use overrides to enable it when necessary.

The AUTO_CLOSE option is useful for desktop databases because it allows managing database files as regular files. Such files can be moved and copied to make backups or even e-mailed to other users. When the database is set to 'AUTOCLOSE = ON', an operation that initiates an automatic database shutdown clears the plan cache for the instance of SQL Server. Clearing the plan cache causes a recompilation of all subsequent execution plans and can cause a sudden temporary decrease in query performance

Database mirroring requires the AUTO_CLOSE option to be set to OFF.

Autoclose only makes sense when you are sure the application usage pattern will keep the database closed for a relatively long period. Some single-user applications and multi-tenancy databases hosting situations may benefit from AUTO_CLOSE ON. For any other usage, it is generally not a good idea unless you really understand the application behavior and usage patterns

  • Design / Implementation Note – From the BOL

  • If the database is not started, properties that the Microsoft SQL Server retrieves by accessing the database directly instead of retrieving the value from metadata will return NULL. That is, if the database has AUTO_CLOSE set to ON, or the database is otherwise offline.

Configuration

When the Auto Close setting is ON, the database is shut down cleanly and its resources are freed after the last user exits.

AUTO_CLOSE {ON | OFF}

Causes

A warning alert will be raised if the Auto Close option does not match the required setting. Out of the box, the monitor is configured to alert when this setting is set to 'ON'.

Resolutions

This issue may be resolved by:

Alternatively, if this monitor is not of concern for this database:

External

See the detailed information about this setting: ALTER DATABASE SET Options (Transact-SQL)

Overridable Parameters

Name

Description

Default Value

Alert Priority

Defines Alert Priority.

Normal

Alert Severity

Defines Alert Severity.

Warning

Enabled

Enables or disables the workflow.

No

Expected Value

Expected value of database configuration setting. To view the set of applicable values please refer to "Configuration" section of the knowledge base article of this monitor.

OFF

Generates Alerts

Defines whether the workflow generates an Alert.

Yes

Interval (seconds)

The recurring interval of time in seconds in which to run the workflow.

43200

Synchronization Time

The synchronization time specified by using a 24-hour format. May be omitted.

 

Timeout (seconds)

Specifies the time the workflow is allowed to run before being closed and marked as failed.

300

Timeout for query execution (seconds)

The workflow will fail and register an event, if the query execution takes longer than the specified period.

60

Timeout for database connection (seconds)

The workflow will fail and register an event, if it cannot access the database during the specified period.

15

Element properties:

TargetMicrosoft.SQLServer.Windows.Database
Parent MonitorMicrosoft.SQLServer.Windows.Rollup.Database.AutomaticConfiguration
CategoryConfigurationHealth
EnabledFalse
Alert GenerateTrue
Alert SeverityWarning
Alert PriorityNormal
Alert Auto ResolveTrue
Monitor TypeMicrosoft.SQLServer.Windows.MonitorType.Database.DBConfigurationStatus
RemotableTrue
AccessibilityPublic
Alert Message
MSSQL on Windows: Auto Close Configuration Error
The Auto Close setting for database "{2}" on SQL Server instance "{1}", computer "{0}" is not set according to the best practices.
RunAsDefault

Source Code:

<UnitMonitor ID="Microsoft.SQLServer.Windows.Monitor.Database.AutoCloseConfiguration" Accessibility="Public" Enabled="false" Target="SqlDiscW!Microsoft.SQLServer.Windows.Database" ParentMonitorID="Microsoft.SQLServer.Windows.Rollup.Database.AutomaticConfiguration" Remotable="true" Priority="Normal" TypeID="Microsoft.SQLServer.Windows.MonitorType.Database.DBConfigurationStatus" ConfirmDelivery="false">
<Category>ConfigurationHealth</Category>
<AlertSettings AlertMessage="Microsoft.SQLServer.Windows.Monitor.Database.AutoCloseConfiguration.AlertMessage">
<AlertOnState>Warning</AlertOnState>
<AutoResolve>true</AutoResolve>
<AlertPriority>Normal</AlertPriority>
<AlertSeverity>Warning</AlertSeverity>
<AlertParameters>
<AlertParameter1>$Target/Host/Property[Type="SqlCoreLib!Microsoft.SQLServer.Core.DBEngine"]/MachineName$</AlertParameter1>
<AlertParameter2>$Target/Host/Property[Type="SqlCoreLib!Microsoft.SQLServer.Core.DBEngine"]/InstanceName$</AlertParameter2>
<AlertParameter3>$Target/Property[Type="SqlCoreLib!Microsoft.SQLServer.Core.Database"]/DatabaseName$</AlertParameter3>
</AlertParameters>
</AlertSettings>
<OperationalStates>
<OperationalState ID="ConfigurationValueOK" MonitorTypeStateID="ConfigurationValueOK" HealthState="Success"/>
<OperationalState ID="ConfigurationValueNotOK" MonitorTypeStateID="ConfigurationValueNotOK" HealthState="Warning"/>
</OperationalStates>
<Configuration>
<MachineName>$Target/Host/Property[Type="SqlCoreLib!Microsoft.SQLServer.Core.DBEngine"]/MachineName$</MachineName>
<NetbiosComputerName>$Target/Host/Property[Type="SqlCoreLib!Microsoft.SQLServer.Core.DBEngine"]/NetbiosComputerName$</NetbiosComputerName>
<InstanceName>$Target/Host/Property[Type="SqlCoreLib!Microsoft.SQLServer.Core.DBEngine"]/InstanceName$</InstanceName>
<DatabaseName>$Target/Property[Type="SqlCoreLib!Microsoft.SQLServer.Core.Database"]/DatabaseName$</DatabaseName>
<ConfigName>AutoClose</ConfigName>
<ExpectedValue>OFF</ExpectedValue>
<ConnectionString>$Target/Host/Property[Type="SqlCoreLib!Microsoft.SQLServer.Core.DBEngine"]/ConnectionString$</ConnectionString>
<InstanceVersion>$Target/Host/Property[Type="SqlCoreLib!Microsoft.SQLServer.Core.DBEngine"]/Version$</InstanceVersion>
<InstanceEdition>$Target/Host/Property[Type="SqlCoreLib!Microsoft.SQLServer.Core.DBEngine"]/Edition$</InstanceEdition>
<MonitoringType>$Target/Host/Property[Type="SqlDiscW!Microsoft.SQLServer.Windows.DBEngine"]/MonitoringType$</MonitoringType>
<SqlExecTimeoutSeconds>60</SqlExecTimeoutSeconds>
<SqlTimeoutSeconds>15</SqlTimeoutSeconds>
<TimeoutSeconds>300</TimeoutSeconds>
<IntervalSeconds>43200</IntervalSeconds>
<SyncTime/>
</Configuration>
</UnitMonitor>