monitor-disk-usage.md

title	Monitor Disk Usage
description	Monitoring disk activity for SQL Server involves monitoring disk I/O and detecting excess paging, and isolating disk activity that SQL Server creates.
author	MikeRayMSFT
ms.author	mikeray
ms.date	12/04/2023
ms.service	sql
ms.subservice	performance
ms.topic	concept-article
helpviewer_keywords	database monitoring [SQL Server], disk usage disks [SQL Server] monitoring performance [SQL Server], disk usage server performance [SQL Server], disk usage monitoring [SQL Server], disk activity excess paging [SQL Server] tuning databases [SQL Server], disk usage I/O [SQL Server], monitoring disks [SQL Server], monitoring activity isolating disk activity [SQL Server] database performance [SQL Server], disk usage monitoring server performance [SQL Server], disk usage

Monitor Disk Usage

[!INCLUDE SQL Server]

Microsoft [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] uses Microsoft Windows operating system input/output (I/O) calls to perform read and write operations on your disk. [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] manages when and how disk I/O is performed, but the Windows operating system performs the underlying I/O operations. The I/O subsystem includes the system bus, disk controller cards, disks, tape drives, CD-ROM drive, and many other I/O devices. Disk I/O is frequently the cause of bottlenecks in a system.

Monitoring disk activity involves two areas of focus:

• Monitoring disk I/O and detecting excess paging

• Isolating disk activity that [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] creates

For more information on how to troubleshoot I/O issues in SQL Server, see Slow I/O - SQL Server and disk I/O performance.

Related content

• Monitor Resource Usage (Performance Monitor)