Recommendation: Monitoring Solution for Azure SQL Databases

C

The recommended monitoring solution for the deployment of 200 Microsoft SQL Server databases to Azure should be Azure Monitor (Option C).

Azure Monitor is a comprehensive monitoring solution for Azure resources and applications. It collects telemetry data from various sources, such as Azure resources, applications, and network devices, and provides a unified view of the environment's health and performance.

Azure Monitor satisfies the requirements of this scenario by providing the following features:

1. Near-real-time metrics: Azure Monitor collects metrics at a frequency of one minute and retains them for up to one hour. This supports current-state analysis based on metrics collected near real-time, multiple times per minute, and maintained for up to one hour.

2. Longer-term metrics: Azure Monitor also collects metrics at a frequency of up to once per hour and retains them for up to two weeks. This supports longer-term analysis based on metrics collected multiple times per hour and maintained for up to two weeks.

3. Custom metrics: Azure Monitor also allows you to collect custom metrics using Application Insights or Azure Monitor Metrics API.

4. Concurrent logins and sessions: Azure Monitor provides monitoring of the number of concurrent logins and concurrent sessions using its diagnostic settings for SQL databases. It captures these metrics and stores them in Azure Monitor logs, where you can query and analyze the data.

5. Unified monitoring approach: Azure Monitor provides a consistent monitoring approach for all deployments, regardless of the underlying infrastructure or services used.

Dynamic management views (Option A) and trace flags (Option B) are SQL Server features that provide visibility into the SQL Server engine and control its behavior. While they can be useful for monitoring SQL Server instances, they do not provide the comprehensive monitoring solution required for this scenario.

SQL Server Profiler (Option D) is a tool for capturing SQL Server events and analyzing them in real-time. While it can be useful for troubleshooting specific issues, it is not a suitable solution for long-term monitoring of multiple databases.

Therefore, Azure Monitor is the recommended solution for monitoring 200 Microsoft SQL Server databases in Azure, as it satisfies all the requirements and provides a unified approach to monitoring.