I'd like to submit a feature request: please add support for capturing the actual execution plan for SQL Server queries in DPA, in addition to (or instead of) the current estimated plan.
Why this matters:
The estimated plan does not include actual runtime statistics such as real row counts per operator, memory spills, or the effects of parameter sniffing. These are precisely the details needed to diagnose the most common and severe SQL Server performance problems. Currently, when there is a significant divergence between estimated and actual row counts — a leading indicator of plan regressions and cardinality issues — DPA provides no visibility into it.
What we're asking for:
- An option to capture the actual (post-execution) plan for queries monitored by DPA, either on-demand or automatically based on thresholds.
- Ideally, highlight differences between estimated and actual operator costs/row counts directly in the plan viewer.
This would allow DBAs to complete their entire investigation inside DPA rather than switching to SSMS to reproduce the issue manually.
Thanks for your time and consideration.
Best regards
