Or, if you have a multiprocessor system, you could add a processor. If more than a few processes attempt to utilize the processor's time, you might need to install a faster processor. A processor bottleneck develops when threads of a process require more processor cycles than are available. Efficient controllers and drivers use less privileged time, leaving more processing time available for user applications, increasing overall throughput.Ĭorresponds to the percentage of time that the processor spends on executing user processes such as SQL Server.Ĭorresponds to the number of threads waiting for processor time. If this counter is consistently high when the Physical Disk counters are high, consider installing a faster or more efficient disk subsystem.ĭifferent disk controllers and drivers use different amounts of kernel processing time. Optionally, you can also monitor the following counters to monitor processor usage:Ĭorresponds to the percentage of time the processor spends on execution of Microsoft Windows kernel commands, such as processing of SQL Server I/O requests. To determine the average for all processors, use the System: %Total Processor Time counter instead. This value represents the sum of processor time on a specific processor.

For multiprocessor systems, monitor a separate instance of this counter for each processor. A consistent state of 80 percent to 90 percent may indicate the need to upgrade your CPU or add more processors. This counter monitors the amount of time the CPU spends executing a thread that is not idle. Optimizing the application can lower CPU utilization.Īn efficient way to determine CPU usage is to use the Processor:% Processor Time counter in System Monitor. Alternatively, a high CPU usage rate may indicate a poorly tuned or designed application. A continually high rate of CPU usage may indicate the need to upgrade the CPU or add multiple processors. Monitor an instance of Microsoft SQL Server periodically to determine whether CPU usage rates are within normal ranges.

Windows cpu usage monitor