Database Tuning Advisor - Why does it give me no results?

Question

I am trying to use Database Tuning Advisor for the first time.

I believe I have resolved all permissions-related issues - needing SHOWPLAN, needing SELECT permission on 'DTA_tuninglog', etc.

Yet under 'Recommendations' it shows nothing.

It definitely runs and seems to be doing work, and there are no bad-looking errors in its output, but no recommendations are given.

I even tried creating a dummy database with a horrible query (lots of table scans) that would clearly be made better with an index, but it doesn't show any recommendations for that, either.

Perhaps my real question is: How do I know when DTA is actually working, versus me having some configuration issue that causes it to produce no output?

Does anybody have any pointers?

More Info:

I am using the defaults for the 'Tuning Options'

Physical Design Structures (PDS) to use in database: Indexes

Partitioning strategy to employ: No partitioning

Physical Design Structures (PDS) to keep in database: Keep all existing PDS

Answer 1

Make sure that you have recorded your analysis data in tuning mode. To do this in SQL Server Profiler when you create the trace there is a drop down list with the label 'Use the template' change it from "Standard (default)" to "Tuning"