SQL Server Profiler captures a continuous record of server activity in real time. SQL Server Profiler allows you to monitor events produced through SQL Server, filter events based on user-specified criteria, and direct the trace output to the screen, a file, or a table. Using SQL Server Profiler, you can replay previously captured traces. This tool helps application developers identify transactions that might be deteriorating the performance of an application. This can be useful when migrating an application from a file-based architecture to a client/server architecture, because the last step involves optimizing the application for its new client/server environment.