[dba-SQLServer] sql performance monitoring

[J- P]

Hi all,


Client decided to upgrade from sql express to full sql, the database runs in 2000 compatibility mode, so it is currently sql2008 running on server 2012.


Its a hyperV guest  with 1 vcpu and 8gb of ram (5 gb allocated to sql)


The database is small (~2gb) it has an Access front end and  there are about 40 concurrent users, on multiple occasions the server slows down and the only recourse is restarting sql service.


I have been tasked with "finding out what is wrong" , I'm not a sql admin but having been a network admin for almost 20 years , and having setup numerous commercial sql dbs (Great Plains, Share point, Sage) on much inferior hardware , with much larger databases I have to believe that the problem lies in the DB/FE configuration itself.


Of course the in-house "dba" refuses to believe that, and has always shot me down when suggesting to get a real dba to come to assess the code and make it more efficient, (IMO  it should not 5 to 10 seconds to run a query).


I have setup  some perf counters based on what I have read, in addition I would like to get a tool(s) specifically made for sql that pinpoints where the issue(s) are.


I have budget so it does not have to be free, the two I have been looking at is Solarwinds and ManageEngine



Does anyone have a preference or suggestion?


TIA