Database background jobs
Failed SQL Server Agent jobs, overdue integrity checks (CHECKDB) and backups, evaluation edition, for every monitored instance.
A database can run for months with no backup and no integrity check without anyone noticing: the scheduled job failed, or the SQL Server Agent service is stopped. The Background jobs screen collects these processes every hour on the instances monitored by DBMonitor.
What you need
The agent's DBMonitor module, at version 2026.10.11.3 or later, on the machine that monitors the instance (see Manage agents). The read permissions already given to DBMonitor are enough. The agent reads the job history, the date of the last successful integrity check and the dates of the latest backups; it reads neither the data in the databases nor the text of the commands.
Reading the screen
Open DB Monitor → Background jobs (#/dbm/taches).
| Tab | Content |
|---|---|
| Instances | One row per instance: edition, SQL Server Agent state, jobs, databases, findings, age of the report |
| Failed jobs | Job, last run, Failures over 7 d and error message |
| Databases: integrity and backups | Recovery model, Last good CHECKDB, latest full, differential and log backups. The Only databases with issues box is ticked by default |
Clicking an instance opens its details: findings, open incidents, all SQL Server Agent jobs, all databases, failures over the last 90 days, and the instance setting. After 3 hours, the report is flagged as old.
What opens an incident
| Rule | Situation | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| DBM-TRAVAIL-ECHEC | an enabled job failed on its last run, or 3 times or more over 7 days | high, one incident per job |
| DBM-AGENT-SQL | SQL Server Agent service stopped while enabled jobs exist | high |
| DBM-CHECKDB | last successful integrity check more than 7 days ago; more than 30 days, or never | medium; high |
| DBM-SAUVEGARDE | last full backup more than 2 days ago | high |
| DBM-SAUVEGARDE | database in FULL or BULK_LOGGED recovery with no log backup for more than 24 hours | high |
| DBM-SAUVEGARDE | no full backup at all | critical |
| DBM-EVALUATION | "Evaluation" edition of SQL Server, with its estimated end date | medium |
A few details:
- A full backup 2 to 8 days old is still accepted if a differential backup is less than 2 days old.
tempdband offline databases are not assessed.- Integrity checks and backups give one incident per instance, listing the databases involved.
Incidents close on their own when the situation returns to normal. After 7 days without a report, the instance's incidents are closed.
Adjust an instance
In an instance's details, the Instance setting block is reserved for administrators:
- Backed up by an external tool, with the name of the Tool (e.g. Veeam): backups made outside SQL Server are not necessarily visible from the instance. The backup rule then becomes a low finding, with no incident, and the screen explains why.
- Ignore, in the job list: FirstSI stops alerting for that job. An ignored job also no longer counts towards the alert on a stopped SQL Server Agent.
- Comment (reason for the setting).
The effect is immediate: findings and incidents are recalculated when you save. Every change is recorded in the audit log.
Your software's own processes
Processes specific to a software package (exports, integrations, mailings) are not recognised automatically. Monitor their outcome with a DBMonitor control query. The screen's Business automations box reminds you how many checks are active, and the SQL checks button takes you there.
MariaDB and MySQL
For these engines, the screen lists scheduled events and the state of the event scheduler. Their outcome is not known, so nothing opens an incident. Neither integrity checks nor backups are tracked.
Frequently asked questions
"No report received yet". The DBMonitor module is not active on the machine that monitors the instance, or the agent is too old.
Our backups are made by backup software, and the screen says they are overdue. Tick Backed up by an external tool in the instance setting.
A test job fails every day. Disable it in SQL Server Agent, or tick Ignore on its row.
Source: · FirstSI Docs · updated 2026-10-11