Tag: Clusters

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…
Read more

Learning SQL Server

Learn SQL Server with PluralSight’s FreeApril

“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…
Read more

some things in sql server are scary but not dangerous

Scary and Dangerous Things in SQL Server

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…
Read more

money to buy more SQL Server resources

Should I Add Hardware Resources to My SQL Server? Do This First.

“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,…
Read more

Power plan settings limit resources to sql server

SQL Server Performance and Windows Power Plan

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…
Read more

CIO dreading SQL licensing costs.

Do I Really Need SQL Server Enterprise Edition?

“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…
Read more

Stop doubting your sql server environment

Five Goals for Your SQL Servers in the New Year

We’ve made it! The start of a new year. Now is a great time to reflect on what you’d like to accomplish over the next 12 months at work, and more specifically, what you would like to do with your SQL Server environment this year. To help with that, here are five activities or goals…
Read more

Avoid working without a net; implement a SQL Server HADR option

High Availability and Disaster Recovery in SQL Server

We’re often asked about SQL Server High Availability and Disaster Recovery (HADR) options to help customers protect their data and improve their uptime. No surprise there. When a SQL Server provides a critical component of your daily operations you need those databases to be available. Simply put, when a user needs information from the database…
Read more

Vintage databases are not as good as vintage cars

Should I Upgrade SQL Servers that Are Out of Support?

Do All SQL Servers Need to Be Upgraded? Running production systems on a platform that is no longer supported by the vendor is worrisome. If something goes wrong, you’ll no longer be able to call the vendor and receive technical support. But worse, you’ll no longer release updates, fixes, security patches, etc, for the out…
Read more