When investigating data slowdown in a SQL database, which objects should be monitored?

Monitoring read replica I/O and network packet drops is essential when investigating data slowdown in a SQL database for several reasons.

Read replicas are commonly used to offload read operations from the primary database instance, improving performance by distributing query loads. If there are issues with I/O on these replicas, it can significantly affect the speed and availability of data being served to applications. Monitoring read replica I/O allows you to identify if there are bottlenecks in data retrieval processes that could lead to slow responses for users or applications querying the database.

Network packet drops are equally critical to monitor, as they may indicate problems with the connectivity between the database instances and the applications accessing the database. If packets are being dropped, it can lead to incomplete queries or increased latency in data retrieval. This can significantly contribute to perceived data slowdown since applications may experience timeouts or delays while waiting for data to be transmitted.

By keeping a close eye on both read replica I/O and network packet drops, administrators can diagnose and address performance issues effectively, ensuring that database performance meets required service levels.