One embodiment includes a system for application-layer monitoring of communication between one or more database clients and one or more database servers. The system includes one or more decoders residing at a decoding layer above a network layer. The decoders reside at a first network location between one or more database clients residing at one or more second network locations and one or more database servers residing at one or more third network locations. The decoders receive database messages communicated from the database clients and intended for the database servers and database messages communicated from the database servers and intended for the database clients, decode the database messages, and extract query-language statements from the database messages. The system also includes a monitoring application residing at an application layer above the decoding layer. The monitoring application resides at the first network location. The monitoring application receives query-language statements extracted at the decoders and records observations on the database messages based on the query-language statements extracted at the decoders.