Quest Spotlight vs SQL Sentry comparison

Quest Software and SQL Sentry are both solutions in the Database Development and Management category. Quest Software is ranked #6 with an average rating of 9.0, while SQL Sentry is ranked #9. Quest Software holds a 6.9% mindshare in DDM, compared to SQL Sentry’s 5.0% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Quest Software users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 66% of SQL Sentry users who would recommend it.

Quest Spotlight

Read 5 Quest Spotlight reviews

1,341 Views
889 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

SQL Sentry

Read 2 SQL Sentry reviews

833 Views
671 Comparison Views

66% willing to recommend

Quest Spotlight

SQL Sentry

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 23, 2025

SQL Sentry and Quest Spotlight compete in the database performance monitoring space. Quest Spotlight appears to have the upper hand due to its comprehensive feature set, offering greater long-term returns despite SQL Sentry’s appealing pricing and support.

Features: SQL Sentry is known for its efficient alerting capabilities, deep insights into SQL Server performance, and intuitive troubleshooting. Quest Spotlight offers real-time monitoring dashboards, predictive analytics, and superior granularity in performance monitoring.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SQL Sentry provides straightforward on-premises deployment with ample support facilitating quick setup. Quest Spotlight offers flexible cloud deployment options with robust support resources, though initial configuration is more complex.

Pricing and ROI: SQL Sentry offers competitive pricing with an impressive ROI due to its lower initial investment for essential features. Quest Spotlight, though higher priced, promises substantial ROI with advanced functionalities that justify the investment.

To learn more, read our detailed Quest Spotlight vs. SQL Sentry Report (Updated: February 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Quest Spotlight vs. SQL Sentry

February 2025

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Helped 838,713 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Quest Spotlight

Ranking in Database Development and Management

6th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SQL Sentry

Ranking in Database Development and Management

9th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the Database Development and Management category, the mindshare of Quest Spotlight is 6.9%, down from 8.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SQL Sentry is 5.0%, down from 6.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Database Development and Management

Featured Reviews

Seha R

Group Product Manager at Uop Ipl

Good tool for the design and development of public APIs

The software does not support webhooks. It doesn't support advanced versions of APIs. The tool also doesn't support advanced versions of specifications. The change that we do in one part of the model is not reflected throughout the specification. There are also some mutations in the clones. I am not able to do a local source control with the product as well.

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Steve McCubbin

Sql Db Administrator at a non-tech company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Lets you know when your jobs are taking longer than average and allows you to go back in history and find out what was happening at certain times

To be able to go back in history and find out what was happening at certain times is the most valuable feature of the product. Another thing that's good about the product is that it will let you know when your jobs are taking longer than average so that you can foretell that there's going to be an issue coming up. Your SQL agent job is taking longer.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Spotlight provides valuable features such as the ability to get alerted and drill down to a very granular level to find out where actual problems are coming from."

"Its dashboards are most valuable. The drill-down of the dashboards is useful."

"I consider the solution very scalable."

"The tool is a SaaS product where I just need to type a URL and start with the design process. I can integrate all elements of source control like GitHub, GitLab, etc. The tool also supports authentication-related provisions like SSH."

"This solution has identified blocking, deadlock, memory pressure, and high CPU consumption issues."

"To be able to go back in history and find out what was happening at certain times is the most valuable feature of the product."

Cons

"The software does not support webhooks. It doesn't support advanced versions of APIs. The tool also doesn't support advanced versions of specifications. The change that we do in one part of the model is not reflected throughout the specification. There are also some mutations in the clones. I am not able to do a local source control with the product as well."

"One improvement could be the inclusion of suggestions for missing indexes or better analysis of how indexes are utilized and how execution plans are used, similar to what other products offer."

"Some customizations of the dashboard, such as having backup reports, would be useful."

"There's no reporting with this tool, and there really should be. They should add that into future releases."

"One improvement could be the inclusion of suggestions for missing indexes or better analysis of how indexes are utilized and how execution plans are used, similar to what other products offer."

"If we can get details on wait types from system views, it will help identify a more detailed root cause."

"There could be some more metrics on the high availability to let us know when there are issues synchronizing between the hosts."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Its cost was somewhere in the middle."

"The tool is cloud-based. It is priced well."

"It's fairly expensive."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

13%

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

17%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Energy/Utilities Company

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Quest Spotlight?

The tool is a SaaS product where I just need to type a URL and start with the design process. I can integrate all elements of source control like GitHub, GitLab, etc. The tool also supports authent...

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What needs improvement with Quest Spotlight?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Quest Spotlight?

We use the tool for the design and development of public APIs. It is used in the first cycle of our API development. The product helps us to create APIs in the format that we are looking for and us...

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Comparisons

Quest Foglight for Databases vs Quest Spotlight

Compared 44% of the time

SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer vs Quest Spotlight

Compared 18% of the time

Oracle Enterprise Manager vs Quest Spotlight

Compared 14% of the time

Redgate SQL Toolbelt Essentials vs Quest Spotlight

Compared 9% of the time

IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server vs Quest Spotlight

Compared 7% of the time

More Quest Spotlight Competitors

SolarWinds Database Performance Analyzer vs SQL Sentry

Compared 73% of the time

Quest Foglight for Databases vs SQL Sentry

Compared 10% of the time

IDERA SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server vs SQL Sentry

Compared 7% of the time

More SQL Sentry Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Database Development and Management

January 2025

Download Quest Spotlight product report

Buyer's Guide

Database Development and Management

January 2025

Download SQL Sentry product report

Also Known As

Dell Spotlight

No data available

Overview

Quest Spotlight ensures peak performance around the clock with unmatched monitoring, diagnosis and optimization of SQL Server environments. Spotlight provides access to the details you need for optimal fitness of your SQL Server databases. Get overviews of health and performance, automated alerts and actions, and mobile device support.

Quest Software

SentryOne is the most capable, scalable platform for enterprise data performance management, from development through production. We empower Microsoft database professionals with the best solutions for developing, testing, documenting, and monitoring the Microsoft Data Platform.

SQL Sentry

Sample Customers

Jenkon

Coeo, Stack Overflow, GreatAmerica Financial Services Corporation, Hawaiian Airlines, Hennepin County Medical Center, Racing Victoria, Citrix, Insight, Shi, Woodforest National Bank, Telular

Buyer's Guide

Quest Spotlight vs. SQL Sentry

February 2025

Free Report: Quest Spotlight vs. SQL Sentry

Find out what your peers are saying about Quest Spotlight vs. SQL Sentry and other solutions. Updated: February 2025.

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