If you’ve worked around database systems for long, you’ve no doubt encountered the issue of ensuring efficient storage. As your databases grow, so do your storage sizes (and costs!). Thankfully, SQL Server provides a powerful feature that can help alleviate this problem: compression. Compression in SQL Server is a feature that helps to reduce the…
Read more
For many businesses, the availability and performance of SQL Server databases are paramount. Unplanned downtime can lead to significant financial losses, tarnished reputations, and regulatory repercussions. Understanding the costs associated with SQL Server downtime and exploring strategies to mitigate these risks is essential for those aiming to maintain operational resilience in 2025. Read on for…
Read more
Indexes are an essential part of any SQL Server database. One of the keys to improving performance is understanding how indexes work. Indexes help speed up data retrieval, optimize query performance, and improve the overall efficiency of your database. SQL Server offers several index types, but clustered and non-clustered indexes are the most important. Understanding…
Read more
Restoring large databases can be time-consuming, but online piecemeal restores in SQL Server Enterprise offer quicker access to data. This method allows partial restoration while keeping the primary filegroup online, minimizing downtime. Requirements include using the Enterprise edition, multiple filegroups, a full recovery model, and available log backups. Best practices enhance efficiency.
When a SQL Server database is the backbone of your application, its design will have a huge impact on the application’s performance. While many developers just view the database as a container for storing data, the truth is that a well-designed database is critical to your application’s speed, reliability, and ability to scale with your…
Read more
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…
Read more
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…
Read more
Since security and permissions are a big part of a DBA’s job, it’s important to be able to find out things like who has elevated login permissions or when a login was last used. Here are a few queries to help you check your server and database access. Most of these scripts are based off…
Read more
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…
Read more
Your SQL Servers are the backbone of your company’s data operations. They power critical applications and store valuable information. They enable financial decisions, undergird operational activities, and support your sales processes. But what happens if there’s a problem? What happens when data is lost or corrupted? Or if one of your key systems is down…
Read more
Recent Comments