Which extended event target counts how many times each specified event occurs?

The event_counter target is designed specifically to track the frequency of specified events within SQL Server's extended events framework. It provides a straightforward mechanism to count the occurrences of events, making it particularly useful for performance monitoring and troubleshooting scenarios.

When you use the event_counter target, it accumulates a count of how many times each event is raised during the monitoring session. This can help database administrators identify patterns, pinpoint issues, or gauge the impact of certain operations. The data collected can be analyzed later to inform decisions or respond to performance problems effectively.

In contrast, the other options serve different purposes. The event_file target is used for logging events to a file for detailed examination later, while the event_ring_buffer target maintains a circular buffer that holds events in memory for real-time analysis but does not aggregate counts for each event type. The event_sql_text target captures the SQL text of the events but does not provide a count of event occurrences. This differentiation in function highlights why the event_counter is the correct answer for counting occurrences of specified events.