“Why is SQL Server memory usage high?” If you haven’t been asked this question, you haven’t supported SQL Server long enough. I’ve encountered managers, systems administrators, and developers who’ve wondered this. Simply put, data reads are much faster in RAM than from disks. RAM latency is typically measured in nanoseconds. By contrast, disk latency is…
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Need to build a SQL Server FCI in AWS but prefer not to use FSx for Windows File Server? Good news, you have other options. One option that more closely aligns with traditional FCIs that use shared disks is Multi-Attach EBS volumes. Multi-Attach EBS volumes in AWS enable organizations to use Windows Server Failover Clusters…
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So, your Microsoft SQL Server is showing its age, and you need to upgrade it. What’s the best approach—an in-place upgrade or a side-by-side upgrade? For many businesses, especially those in industries like healthcare or banking, where reliability, security, and performance are non-negotiable, a side-by-side SQL Server upgrade is often the smarter choice. But first,…
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Being an “Accidental DBA” is a role some IT professionals find themselves in. Whether you’re an IT generalist, a software developer, or another professional tasked with SQL Server management on top of your primary responsibilities, the role can feel daunting. From maintaining performance to ensuring security, from verifying backups to responding to problems, SQL Server…
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When it comes to running your business, a well-maintained SQL Server infrastructure is often the unsung hero. SQL Server is often behind the scenes, powering critical systems, supporting decision-making, and safeguarding vital data. However, when it’s neglected, the costs—both visible and hidden—can quickly spiral out of control. The cost of neglecting SQL Server Let’s look…
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Managing SQL Server infrastructure in-house can present more challenges than many companies anticipate. Between constant security threats, performance monitoring, and ensuring high availability, the demands on a database administrator (DBA) are extensive. For many companies, especially those without a large IT staff, these needs can strain resources and impact profitability. Outsourcing SQL Server management offers…
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Since Microsoft SQL Server databases are critical for many organizations, protecting SQL Server from disasters such as security breaches and data loss isn’t optional—it’s essential. This is especially true for sectors like healthcare, banking, and FinTech. I’ve suffered a great many catastrophes in my life. Most of them never happened. -Mark Twain Mark Twain’s quip…
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Storing sensitive information in a database, like passwords or social security numbers, is common practice. However, storing them securely is less common. Unfortunately, one of the most typical approaches is to store sensitive information in a table as clear text. That means that anyone with access to that table can see all of that sensitive…
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Whether in the cloud or a data center, the cost of maintaining a SQL Server estate can escalate quickly. Beyond the direct expenses, indirect costs can quietly unbalance and outpace your IT budget. Let’s look at 8 ways to reduce the costs of your SQL Server estate. Direct and Indirect Costs of a SQL Server…
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I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been called after hours due to a drive filling up. The usual culprit? Transaction file log growth. Monitoring the growth of your SQL Server transaction log files is crucial for maintaining database performance and ensuring system reliability. Unchecked transaction log growth can lead to disk space issues and…
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