Tag: Clusters

Basic Availability Groups: Affordable High Availability with Key Limitations

Basic Availability Groups: Affordable High Availability with Key Limitations

In SQL Server 2022, Basic Availability Groups provide a limited, cost-effective solution for high availability and disaster recovery in the Standard Edition. However, they have several limitations when compared to a standard Availability Group in the Enterprise Edition. Although Basic AGs were introduced before SQL Server 2022, we’ll focus strictly on the latest version. Let’s…
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Streamline your failovers with contained Availability Groups

Streamline SQL Server Management with Contained Availability Groups

SQL Server Availability Groups can present challenges after a failover, such as missing logins, outdated passwords, or absent SQL Server Agent jobs. Some clients address these issues by requiring the primary replica to remain on the same instance. If a failover occurs due to an outage or patching, they generally request to revert the AG…
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High availability options--which one should you choose?

Availability Groups: What’s Right for Your Business?

I’ve had several companies inquire about SQL Server’s built-in high availability options over the years. This conversation usually indicates a need to ensure that their database systems remain operational and accessible with minimal downtime. But why now? They’ve been in business for years and are just now interested in HA/DR. What changed? Reasons vary, but…
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SQL Server memory configuration fine-tunes your servers' performance.

SQL Server Settings: Memory Configuration

SQL Server is designed to efficiently manage memory on its own. It requests memory when it’s needed and releases memory back to the system when it’s not. However, the default settings may not be ideal for your situation. An experienced database administrator will usually fine-tune these settings to optimize performance and server stability. Minimum server…
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mixing sql backup strategies

The Risks of Mixing SQL Server Native Backups with Snapshot Technologies

As a DBA, one of the most critical aspects of managing SQL Server is ensuring the integrity and reliability of database backups. SQL Server’s native backup functionalities offer robust tools for securing your data, particularly for databases utilizing the full recovery model. However, mixing SQL Server native backups with disk or VM snapshots can lead…
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SQL Server database corruption can make you sick

A Severe Error Occurred! 5 Ways to Detect Database Corruption Early

No one likes to think about how to detect database corruption. But, Imagine this: you’re arriving at your job expecting an ordinary day. You begin receiving calls that the main application is returning a weird error when submitting or updating data; A severe error occurred on the current command.  The results, if any, should be…
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The need for High Availability and Disaster Recovery

HADR for Crying Out Loud

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 Configuration settings

Webinar: Is Your SQL Server Healthy?

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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SQL Server FCI or AG?

What’s the Difference in SQL Server FCIs and AGs?

“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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SQL Server disk IO traffic jam

Identifying SQL Server Disk Latency

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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