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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I was on my morning walk recently when I noticed this laying on the walking path. Some call it a binky. Others a pacifier or fooler. Whatever you call it, it’s an essential piece of equipment for some infants. Without it, their world falls apart. And the calamity is contagious. They, and everyone around them,…
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SQL Server. Many business depend on it. But how can you tell if your SQL Server is healthy? It’s not always obvious. SQL Server can be pretty forgiving in many ways, until it’s not. And that can put your performance and even your data at risk. The right configuration settings are critical. Unfortunately, it’s easy…
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“What’s the difference in SQL Server FCIs and AGs?” That question comes up frequently when talking High Availability and Disaster Recovery (HADR). It’s especially important when “Everything stops and people can’t do their jobs if SQL Server is unavailable.” There are a lot of how-to articles on the internet for setting up Always On Failover…
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When SQL Server is not as fast as users think it ought to be, how can you tell where the slowdown is? Where’s the performance bottleneck? Where’s the traffic jam? Is it waiting on CPU? Does it needs memory? What about the disks? Could SQL Server be slow because of disk latency? Could be. But…
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“I want to learn [a technology]. Where should I start?” Since I’ve spent the last 25 year working with SQL Server (no exaggeration, see footnote), the question is usually about learning SQL Server. Sometimes it’s about learning related technologies such as data analytics and visualization, scripting languages such as Python or PowerShell, or the burgeoning…
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Some things are scary. Other things are dangerous. And in SQL Server, you can have both scary and dangerous at the same time. Scary, that we can deal with. But dangerous, particularly things that are deceptively dangerous, is bad. Scary things Let’s start with scary. Some things give us pause. We see them, think about…
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“The server is seriously slow! Can’t we add memory or something?” We’ve all heard this before. You may have even thought it yourself. Adding resources could be an easy fix to a troublesome performance problem. After all, SQL Server hungers for memory. The more the better. And a side of processor goes a long way,…
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Conserving energy is good. It’s good for the environment and it’s good for the bottom line. That’s why Windows Server has built-in power settings. But there’s a trade off. With reduced power comes reduced performance for most SQL Servers. The Windows Power Plan Setting Windows Server has three pre-defined power settings: Balanced, High Performance, and…
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“Do I really need the SQL Server Enterprise Edition license? Or will SQL Server Standard Edition work for us?” That’s a question most every CFO, CIO, VP, and Director with a SQL Server environment and budgetary responsibilities has asked. The reason is obvious. SQL Server Enterprise Edition is expensive. How expensive? According to Microsoft’s web…
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