Every session on a SQL Server instance starts with a connection, and connection volume is one of the earliest signals of a capacity or security problem, often appearing before CPU, memory, or blocking metrics show any strain. DB Connections tracks who is connecting, from where, with what application, and when, across every monitored instance.
Use it to right-size connection pools and licensing ahead of demand, confirm that only expected logins and applications are reaching a database, and find the source the moment a connection spike or storm starts, before it turns into blocking or timeouts.
Every connection reserves a minimum amount of memory and processing resources on the instance, whether or not it's actively running a query. On a server already close to its resource limits, a sharp, sudden rise in connections can use up enough of that reserve on its own to cause timeouts, blocking, or failed connections, separate from any query workload driving them. Watching connection volume is as much about preventing this outcome as catching it after it starts.
Structure
This section includes two pages:
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Overview – Starting point. Summarizes connection volume across your monitored instances for the selected date range, including a day-by-hour breakdown of activity and a per-instance summary table.
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Details – Drill-down view. Opens when you select an instance from Overview; breaks connection volume down by database, application host, login, and program.