As I sat there, I ended up reflecting back on 2025. I found myself gravitating to these three questions:

• What went well this year?
• What did I learn?
• What should I focus on next year?

If you’re a leader, I’m guessing you rarely get this kind of thinking time during your workday. I know I don’t. Our calendars are packed with calls, team meetings, and those “quick questions” that turn into two-hour troubleshooting sessions.

But here’s what I’ve learned: the quality of your strategic decisions is directly tied to the quality of your thinking time.

And thinking time doesn’t happen by accident. You have to protect it.

What Went Well This Year?

When I asked myself this question, I didn’t think about our biggest projects or flashiest achievements. I didn’t think about when we migrated almost 2,000 databases as part of an upgrade project. Or the performance tuning we did that resulted in a $36,000 reduction in annual Azure spend for a client.

Instead, I thought about the relationships we strengthened. The trust we built with clients. The problems we solved before they became crises.

For you, this might look like:

• The audit that went smoothly because your security documentation was solid
• The successful disaster recovery test that was possible because you kept refining the process
• The team member you mentored who’s now ready for more responsibility
• The support resources you provided your team through a trusted partner

These aren’t always the things that make it into board reports. But they’re the foundation that everything else is built on.

What Did I Learn?

This year reminded me of something Eisenhower once said: “Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.”

The need for planning cannot be overstated. It’s critical. Even if the plan doesn’t always work out the way you intended.

The plan itself wasn’t the point. The thinking I did while creating the plan was the point.

Because I’d thought through our capacity, our ideal client profile, and our service delivery model, I could adjust quickly when reality didn’t match my spreadsheet. I knew which opportunities were a good fit for us and which ones to let go. Because we’ve intentionally built a small but incredibly talented team that genuinely wants to see our clients succeed, we were able to identify and create ways to help them.

I watched the same dynamic play out with clients. The institutions that had documented their SQL Server environments, tested their disaster recovery plans, and mapped their compliance requirements adapted quickly when needed. They were positioned for success even when the unexpected happened.

Planning isn’t about predicting the future. It’s about building the muscle memory to respond when the future surprises you.

What did you learn this year about planning and adapting? Maybe it was:

• That your three-year technology roadmap needs quarterly reviews, not just annual ones
• That the disaster recovery plan sitting in a SharePoint folder isn’t the same as a tested DR plan
• That “we’ll address that next quarter” eventually becomes “why didn’t we address this sooner?”
• That having an expert on call beats having a plan to find an expert when something breaks

These lessons matter. Write them down. They’re not just hindsight—they’re your blueprint for better decisions ahead.

What Should I Focus On Next Year?

For me, the answer was clear: I need to help more financial institutions and healthcare organizations understand that they have options. Most CIOs think they have two choices for database management: hire a full-time DBA (expensive and hard to find) or make do with whoever can “figure it out” (risky and unsustainable).

There’s a third option: fractional DBA services that give you expert oversight without the full-time price tag.

For you, your focus might be different. Maybe it’s:

• Finally getting your SQL Server environment documented and audit-ready
• Building a disaster recovery plan that you’ve actually tested
• Move a little further along the SQL Server Maturity Curve
• Finding a partner who understands banking compliance, not just databases

Whatever it is, the key is to actually choose something. Not everything. Something. And move toward it. Make progress.

The Power of Quiet Reflection

Here’s the thing about those early Saturday morning moments: they’re rare. And precious.

During the week, we’re in execution mode. We’re responding, reacting, solving, and fixing. That’s necessary work. But it’s not strategic work.

Strategic work requires space. It requires stepping back from the urgent to focus on the important.

So, here’s my challenge to you as we wind down 2025 and usher in the new year:

Block Off Time Just to Think, Then Protect It

Maybe it’s Saturday mornings before your family wakes up. Maybe it’s a long walk at lunch. Maybe it’s 90 minutes with your calendar blocked and your office door closed.

Whatever it is, protect it. The decisions you make during that quiet time about where to focus, what risks to address, and which partnerships to invest in will help shape your entire year.

Your Turn

As you think about the year ahead, I’d encourage you to ask yourself those three questions:

1. What went well this year? Celebrate it. Learn from it.
2. What did I learn? Write it down. It’s wisdom you paid for.
3. What should I focus on next year? Pick one or two things. Not everything.

And if one of those focus areas is “finally get our SQL Server environment to a place where I’m confident, not just hopeful,” let’s talk. That’s exactly what we help institutions do.

If you’re a CIO wondering whether your SQL Server environment is as healthy and secure as it should be, I’d be happy to have a conversation. No sales pitch. Just two people talking candidly about database management. Schedule a time here.

The post Why Quiet Reflection Leads to Better IT Strategy Decisions appeared first on The SERO Group.

What are the benefits of enabling Query Store? While there are many technical reasons, here are my top four broad advantages to consider.

1. Free SQL Server monitoring

Your business has already paid for Query Store in the SQL Server licensing. With SQL Server 2016 and later, it is accessible at the database level. This means that for smaller shops that may not have a large enterprise environment, you don’t have to spend large sums of money to get observability from 3rd party software. Query Store’s native capture mechanisms can provide significant insight into your SQL Server’s performance, all without costing you any more money!

2. Capture foundational SQL Server performance indicators

Query Store collects the data already present in your SQL Server, displaying it in easy-to-understand graphs and reports. With Query Store, values for CPU, memory, duration, and more can be viewed based on MAX/AVG/STD Deviation metrics per query. This provides valuable insights into core metrics that shape the performance of your applications. Furthermore, this data allows your company to see not only how specific queries behaved when there was a performance problem but also to trend those queries over time to see shifts in performance.

SQL Server wait statistics are also captured and displayed in Query Store. When a query needs a resource, like CPU, or data read from disk, then a wait type is assigned to the query. These various waits affect query performance in a multitude of ways, and Query Store surfaces those performance-impacting waits for you. For example, the Query Wait Statistics report may show large bar graphs for BUFFER IO and CPU. Queries appearing in both graphs may be suffering from large table scans because of missing indexes.

Additionally, Query Store captures the query plans associated with queries. Think of query plans as the blueprint for how the query will be executed. These plans contain data about the decisions SQL Server is making about your data and how to process it. Some decisions revealed in the query plan can pinpoint performance issues. For example, query plans that regularly contain table scan operators may indicate missing indexes that force SQL Server to scan millions of rows when it only needs to retrieve a few thousand rows.

3. Talk to your vendors with data in hand

COTS vendors need to see hard data when approached with a performance problem. Query Store can provide that data. Without it, you can report a problem, but the software vendor is unlikely to consider making changes.

If you engage a DBA as a Service company, having performance data in hand will go a long way toward building a good relationship with that vendor. They will see your preparedness and be drawn to that. Also, it will allow them to solve your problem faster, and isn’t that what you really want anyway?

4. Allow your applications to take advantage of new performance features

Newer versions of SQL Server have a collection of features known as Intelligent Query Processing (IQP). Features such as memory grant feedback, degree of parallelism feedback, and more are tied into IQP. These features depend on Query Store. Without Query Store running and without using the appropriate database compatibility level, your applications are missing out on performance-enhancing features that make queries execute faster, use fewer resources, or do both at the same time.

Want to work with The SERO Group?

Want to learn more about how The SERO Group helps organizations take the guesswork out of managing their SQL Servers? Schedule a no-obligation discovery call with us to get started.

The post 4 Key Performance Benefits of Enabling Query Store appeared first on The SERO Group.

If you’re responsible for operational stability, data integrity, or risk, it’s essential to understand the impact of undermanaged SQL Servers. Read on to discover the biggest issues—and how to prevent them before they cause problems. We’ll also show you how to build a strong business case for proactive SQL Server management.

Three Biggest Liabilities of Undermanaged SQL Servers

1. Downtime Is Costly—and More Common Than You May Think

Let’s start with the hard numbers. In the financial services industry, the average cost of IT downtime is estimated at $9,000 per minute for larger institutions. While community banks and credit unions may not hit that number, even smaller outages can disrupt transaction processing, customer support, and access to critical data—leading to lost revenue and reputational damage.

Infosecurity Magazine recently reported a study from Contrast Security that indicated that over half (54%) of global financial institutions experienced cyberattacks in the past year where data was destroyed by adversaries. 

More tellingly, a 2023 Uptime Institute report found that over one-third of data center outages across all industries stemmed from system and software issues—many of which are database-related. These are not rare events. They’re happening every day in organizations that don’t have a dedicated plan for monitoring and managing their SQL Servers.

2. Security Threats Are Rising—and Databases Are a Target

As financial institutions increase their digital footprint, SQL Servers become even more attractive to cybercriminals. In 2024, the average cost of a data breach in the financial sector rose to $6.08 million, according to industry research reported in the ABA Banking Journal. That’s a 22% premium over the global average, reflecting the high value of financial data and the regulatory scrutiny that follows a breach.

Unpatched SQL Server instances, misconfigured access controls, and lack of encryption are all common vulnerabilities in unmanaged environments. Bad actors know this, and they exploit it.

Without regular audits, patching schedules, and proactive security monitoring, your institution could be one missed update away from its next major incident.

3. Performance Issues Impact Productivity and Customer Experience

An unmanaged SQL Server environment doesn’t just create security risks; it can slow down your business. Query bottlenecks, deadlocks, resource contention, and stale indexing strategies can cripple performance over time.

For your internal teams, this means longer wait times for reports and slower access to operational systems. For customers, it can mean delays in processing payments, loan applications, or online transactions.

Each delay has the potential to damage your reputation with your customers and to frustrate your team. Aren’t you tired of hearing, “I’m sorry, my computer is just slow today,” when you’re trying to get something done over the phone?

There’s Real ROI in Proactive SQL Server Management

The risks and the costs are clear. But that’s not the end of the story.

The upside is just as compelling. Here are some key benefits of a properly managed SQL Server estate.

Enhanced Performance

• Optimized Queries: Properly tuned SQL queries execute faster, leading to quicker application response times and improved user experience. 
• Efficient Resource Utilization: Monitoring and managing resources like CPU, memory, and disk I/O prevent bottlenecks and ensure optimal performance. 
• Database Optimization: Indexing, partitioning, and other optimization techniques improve data access speed and reduce query execution time. 

Reduced Costs:

• Resource Optimization: By identifying and addressing performance issues, you can optimize resource utilization and potentially reduce hardware costs. 
• Lower Downtime: Proactive maintenance and monitoring minimize downtime, reducing business disruption and associated costs. 
• Improved Security: Strong security measures prevent data breaches and compliance issues, which can result in significant financial penalties. 

Improved Data Management:

• Data Integrity: Proper backup and recovery procedures ensure data integrity and prevent data loss. 
• Compliance: Meeting regulatory requirements and industry standards reduces the risk of penalties and legal issues. 
• Data-Driven Decisions: Access to accurate and timely data enables better decision-making and improved business outcomes. 

What Proactive SQL Server Management Looks Like

Proactive management isn’t just about reacting to alerts—it’s about preventing problems before they start. This includes:

• Proactive Daily Health Checks
• Regularly reviewing SQL Server and Windows log files
• Real-time monitoring and alerting
• Regular performance tuning and index optimization
• Patch management
• Vulnerability scanning
• Secure access controls and encryption enforcement
• Backup validation and disaster recovery planning
• Monthly or quarterly health checks and reporting
• Annual Center for Internet Security (CIS) Benchmark Assessments

Whether you manage your servers in-house or partner with a specialized team like The SERO Group, having a defined strategy can reduce your operational risk while maximizing the value of your technology investments.

The Bottom Line: Proactive SQL Server Management is a Sound Investment

Your SQL Servers are too important to be treated as set-it-and-forget-it infrastructure. As regulatory pressures grow and customer expectations rise, your institution needs systems that are healthy, secure, and reliable.

By investing in professional SQL Server management, financial institutions can reduce downtime, strengthen cybersecurity, and improve performance—while freeing internal teams to focus on their primary duties.

Don’t wait for a breach or a breakdown to take action. Make your SQL Server estate’s health and resilience a strategic priority.

Want to learn more about how The SERO Group helps financial institutions keep their SQL Servers healthy, secure, and reliable? Schedule a no-obligation discovery call.

Learn more about our:

• SQL Server CIS® Benchmarks™ Assessment
• SQL Server Health Check

The post The Costs of Undermanaged SQL Servers for Financial Institutions appeared first on The SERO Group.

Whether you’re a SQL Server DBA, IT team leader, or senior executive, I hope you’ll find these books interesting or insightful.

So, here are the four best business books I read in 2024.

Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni

In Working Genius, Patrick Lencioni introduces a model that helps individuals and teams understand their natural talents and areas of frustration in the workplace. By understanding and aligning their work with their strengths, individuals and teams can increase productivity, reduce burnout, and achieve greater fulfillment.

• The Six Types of Genius: Each person has two areas of natural talent (genius), two areas of competence, and two areas of frustration. Recognizing these can lead to better self-awareness and job satisfaction.
• Genius Categories: The six types include Wonder (asking big questions), Invention (creating ideas), Discernment (evaluating ideas), Galvanizing (rallying people), Enablement (providing support), and Tenacity (ensuring completion).
• Team Balance: Effective teams include all six areas of genius. A lack of diversity in these strengths can lead to inefficiencies, frustration, and unmet goals.
• Self-Awareness Improves Work: Knowing your strengths and frustrations helps you focus on tasks that energize you and delegate or collaborate on tasks that don’t.

The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lemmington

In The 12 Week Year, the authors share their productivity system. They claim that with it, you can achieve more in 12 weeks than most people do in 12 months by shortening the planning and execution cycle. The shorter cycle creates a sense of urgency and focus that drives consistent action. Instead of setting yearly goals, the authors encourage breaking them into manageable, time-bound objectives to achieve results faster. They also highlight the importance of clarity, accountability, and measurement to stay on track.

• Shorter Time Frames Lead to Focus: 12-week cycles eliminate the complacency that comes with annual goals and maintain high levels of focus and urgency.
• Clarity Drives Success: Clearly defining goals and breaking them into actionable weekly tasks ensures alignment and progress.
• Measurement Matters: Regularly tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) allows you to track progress and adjust if needed.
• Accountability is Key: Sharing your goals with an accountability partner or creating team metrics creates positive external pressure to stay committed.

Leading Growth by Anthony Iannarino

Anthony Iannarino is known for his work and writing in sales and sales leadership. In Leading Growth, he highlights leadership’s role in fostering a growth culture and building high-performing sales teams. He also emphasizes aligning strategies with customer needs to drive sustainable success. The book outlines strategies for overcoming common challenges in sales, including unproductive behaviors, lack of alignment, and ineffective leadership practices. All of these apply to non-sales teams, too.

• Leadership Drives Sales Growth: A strong sales team requires a leader who sets clear expectations, fosters accountability, and motivates team members to excel.
• Client-Centric Approach: Aligning sales strategies with customer needs builds trust and long-term partnerships, which are critical for sustained growth.
• Overcoming Challenges: Leaders must address unproductive habits and inefficiencies within their teams to unlock higher levels of performance.
• Culture Matters: A growth-oriented culture encourages innovation, collaboration, and resilience, driving both individual and team success.

Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell

In Buy Back Your Time, Dan Martell introduces a powerful framework to help entrepreneurs and leaders reclaim their time by strategically outsourcing tasks and focusing on high-value activities. Martell argues that time is your most valuable asset, and by “buying it back,” you can create more freedom, reduce stress, and scale your business effectively. The book offers advice on identifying tasks to delegate, building systems for efficiency, and prioritizing what matters most.

• Time is Your Most Valuable Asset: By identifying and offloading low-value tasks, you can focus on activities that drive growth and bring personal fulfillment.
• The Buyback Loop: Martell outlines a repeatable system: audit your time, determine what to delegate, and reinvest the freed-up hours into strategic priorities.
• Delegate, Don’t Abdicate: Effective delegation requires clear instructions, the right people, and systems to ensure tasks are completed to your standards.
• Focus on Your Zone of Genius: Spend your time on activities where you excel and create the most value, leaving other tasks to those better suited to handle them.

Your Thoughts?

Have you read any of these books? What was the best book you read last year? I’d love to hear about your thoughts on LinkedIn or just by email.

What’s Next?

If you manage SQL Servers and want to learn how The SERO Group supports clients, let’s have a conversation. We help keep SQL Servers secure, reliable, and running smoothly. Let’s schedule some time to talk.

Just For Fun

By the way, here are some of my favorite fiction and non-fiction books that I read in 2024.

• West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
• Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
• A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage
• Nancy Wake: World War II’s Most Rebellious Spy by Russell Bradden

The post The Best Business Books I Read in 2024 appeared first on The SERO Group.

Direct and Indirect Costs of a SQL Server Estate

The costs associated with your SQL Server environment can be divided into two broad categories: direct and indirect costs.

Direct costs

The direct costs associated with a SQL Server estate include:

1. Licensing fees for SQL Server and related software
2. Hardware expenses, including servers and storage
3. Maintenance and support contracts
4. Energy consumption and data center costs
5. Cloud costs associated with VMs, Managed Instances, and Azure SQL Databases or RDS instances

Indirect costs

Indirect costs are harder to quantify but can be just as significant as direct costs. These may include:

1. Database administration and management time
2. Downtime and lost productivity when something goes wrong
3. Security risks and compliance issues
4. Opportunity costs associated with delayed projects and initiatives

A typical scenario

The direct and indirect costs can add up quickly. Here’s a typical scenario.

A company has five SQL Server VMs in Microsoft Azure and two older VMs in a rack in the old server room. Over the past year, performance has deteriorated on two SQL Server VM instances in Azure, so the system administrator who takes care of the SQL Servers added more memory and CPU. The other three SQL instances in Azure seem to be running fine without any perceivable performance issues. The two local SQL instances are primarily used for historical purposes. They are past extended support.

Can we reduce the direct and indirect costs of managing the company’s SQL estate?

Probably.

8 ways to reduce the cost of a SQL Server estate

So, let’s look at ways to reduce the cost of a SQL Server estate. This is not an exhaustive list. But it’s a good starting point as you evaluate your SQL Server environment. These are in no particular order.

1. Server Consolidation

Does the company have the right number of SQL Servers? Could they reduce the number of SQL Servers in their estate through consolidation?

Consolidating multiple SQL Server instances onto fewer, more powerful servers can reduce hardware and licensing costs. It can also reduce the number of SQL Server instances that must be managed, patched, etc.

A SQL Server consolidation effort involves:

• Assessing your current SQL Server utilization for underused resources
• Combining compatible workloads onto shared servers
• Right-sizing servers for the consolidated workloads

Scenario: In this scenario, look at the three VM SQL instances. Perhaps the company can consolidate two VMs into one SQL instance, reducing the number of Azure VMs by one. Perhaps some or all databases can be moved to Azure SQLDBs instead?

2. Right-Size Your Servers

Planning for future growth is good; however, it should be balanced with the cost of supporting your current workload. This is especially true when the SQL Server instances are in the cloud, where compute charges can add up quickly.

Overprovisioning can lead to unnecessary expenses. Ensure your SQL Servers are properly sized for their current workloads.

• Monitor server performance and utilization
• Identify bottlenecks and areas for performance optimization
• Adjust server resources (CPU, memory, storage) accordingly
• Plan for future growth

Scenario: The company can assess the current workload of the VMs. Are they overprovisioned? Can the resources be reduced without affecting performance? Perhaps they can go from 32 cores to 16 on one of the VMs?

3. Choose the Right Licensing Model

SQL Server licensing can be expensive, so it’s important to get it right for your workloads and environment. Select the most cost-effective licensing option for your organization.

• Core-based licensing vs CAL-based for smaller workloads
• Subscription-based models to help with predictable costs
• Enterprise Agreement (EA) for large-scale deployments
• Consider Software Assurance benefits

For more information about SQL licensing, check out Microsoft’s page on SQL Server 2022 pricing and licensing. If you’re uncertain about your licensing options, consider consulting a licensing expert. They may be able to save you some money.

Scenario: If the company is looking to upgrade its SQL environment, other licensing options may be available to reduce its licensing spend.

4. Implement Database Compression

Large databases can be costly. They can consume a lot of storage space. They can also frequently have performance issues.

SQL Server compression can help with both of these. It can lower your hardware costs by reducing storage costs, and improve performance by reducing overall disk I/O.

• Use built-in compression features
• Consider SQL Server columnstore compression

Scenario: Depending on the type and amount of data being stored in the databases, compression could help reduce storage space and improve performance.

5. Monitor and Optimize Performance

Poorly designed queries and inappropriate indexing can lead to more than just unhappy users. They can add direct costs to your SQL Servers estates.

Before adding additional resources to solve your performance issues, look for performance tuning and optimization opportunities. By adding an index, rewriting a query, or adjusting the database schema, you may dramatically improve the response times.

Regular performance monitoring helps identify areas for improvement.

• Use built-in monitoring tools (e.g., SQL Server Management Studio)
• Implement third-party monitoring solutions
• Analyze query performance, indexing, and resource utilization
• Adjust configuration and indexing as needed

Scenario: The system administrator recently added resources to the Azure VM to alleviate performance problems. A performance analysis may identify opportunities to improve performance by tuning some queries, adding indexing, or changing the database schemas. If so, the company could dial back down the resources for the VMs and reduce Azure spending. A SQL Health Check could also reveal that settings such as file growth, MAXDOP, or Cost Threshold for Parallelism aren’t set approximately.

6. Automate Routine Tasks

Regularly maintaining your database is important. Updating statistics, performing and testing backups, applying updates, and other maintenance can and should be scripted and automated when possible. This helps reduce administration time and reduces the likelihood of mistakes.

• Use built-in automation tools (e.g., SQL Server Agent)
• Script routine tasks using PowerShell or T-SQL
• Schedule tasks and monitor execution

Scenario: By reviewing the maintenance jobs, the company may find that statistics are not updated regularly. While looking at scheduled jobs, they should also confirm that backups that support their RTO’s and RPO’s are happening.

7. Consider Cloud Migration

This one is not necessarily a gimme. Not every workload runs better or less expensively in the cloud. But, in some situations, you can experience direct and/or indirect cost savings by moving your workloads to the cloud.

Migrating to cloud-based SQL Server solutions offers scalability and cost savings.

• Assess cloud readiness and compatibility
• Choose a cloud provider (e.g., Azure, AWS)
• Consider managed database services (e.g., Azure SQL Database)
• Plan for data migration and security

By implementing these strategies, organizations can significantly reduce costs, improve efficiency, and drive business growth.

Scenario: To simplify its SQL estate, as well as potentially save costs, the company should consider its on-prem SQL Server instances. Can some of the databases be archived and decommissioned? Can they be moved to Azure?

8. Work with a partner

System administrators and developers are smart and resourceful. However, keeping a SQL Server estate healthy, secure, and reliable requires a specific skill set—one that Database Administrators uniquely develop. Additionally, every hour a system administrator spends maintaining or troubleshooting a SQL Server estate is an hour they have been pulled away from their primary duties, creating an opportunity cost.

• Identify a SQL Server partner who has a deep level of SQL Server expertise at a fraction of the cost of a full-time DBA
• Leverage their DBA Team as a Service to help keep SQL Server healthy, reliable, and secure
• View the partner as an extension of your team

Scenario: In the example, the company can eliminate the split focus of its system administrator, identify and implement cost reduction strategies, and leverage a team of dedicated professional DBAs to manage its SQL Server estate.

Want to learn more?

Want to learn more about how SEROShield helps organizations keep their SQL Servers healthy, reliable, and secure? Let’s talk. Schedule a no-obligation discovery call with us.

The post 8 Ways to Reduce the Cost of a SQL Server Estate appeared first on The SERO Group.

Although Basic AGs were introduced before SQL Server 2022, we’ll focus strictly on the latest version.

Let’s review the requirements and limitations.

Requirements and Limitations

SQL Server Edition and Version:

• Standard Edition: Both the primary and secondary replicas must be running SQL Server 2022 Standard Edition. Basic Availability Groups are unavailable in the Express, Web, or Enterprise editions.
• Same Version: Ideally, all replicas should be running the same build of SQL Server 2022.

Verify the version by running SELECT @@VERSION. In the screenshot below, you can see which update has been applied and the SQL Server version and edition.

Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC):

• Cluster Configuration: A Windows Server Failover Cluster must be configured. All nodes participating in the Basic Availability Group must be members of the same WSFC.
• Operating System: The servers must be running a Windows Server version that supports failover clustering (e.g., Windows Server 2019 or 2022 recommended).
• Domain Membership: All nodes must be members of the same Active Directory domain or trusted domains.

In our example, we have a two-node WSFC cluster using Windows Server 2022 Standard Edition.

Network Requirements:

• Connectivity: Reliable network connections between the replicas are essential.
• Name Resolution: A proper DNS setup for name resolution between nodes is preferred.
• Static IPs: It’s highly recommended all replicas utilize static IP addresses vs. DHCP-assigned IPs.

Database Requirements:

• Full Recovery Model: The database to be included in the Basic Availability Group must use the Full recovery model.
• Single Database Support: Basic Availability Groups support only one user database per group.
• Initialization: The database must be initialized on the secondary replica using a full backup and transaction log backups. Automatic seeding can be used as well.

Replica Limitations:

• Number of Replicas: Only two replicas are supported. One primary and one secondary.
• Secondary Replica Limitations
  • Non-Readable: The secondary replica is not accessible for read operations.
  • No backups: You cannot perform backups on the secondary replica.
  • Synchronous Commit: To support automatic failover, Availability Mode must be set to synchronous commit. This is also a requirement for standard Availability Groups.

Licensing:

• Proper Licensing: Ensure that all SQL Server instances are properly licensed under Microsoft’s licensing terms for high-availability setups. See Microsoft’s licensing documentation for full details (SQL Server 2022—Pricing | Microsoft).

Permissions and Roles:

• Service Accounts: To reduce complexity, it’s recommended to use the same SQL Server service account on both replicas. Consider using group managed service accounts for further simplification.
• Firewall Settings: Configure Windows Firewall to allow communication between the replicas on the required ports (default is TCP port 5022).

Endpoint Configuration:

• Database Mirroring Endpoint: This must be configured on each replica for data synchronization. If using the wizard in SSMS, the endpoint is created and configured.

Quorum Configuration:

• Proper quorum configuration is essential to maintain cluster health and support automatic failover. This is done within the WSFC.

Summary of Limitations

• Single Database Limitation: Only one database can be included in a Basic Availability Group.
• Limited to Two Replicas: Only one primary and one secondary replica are allowed.
• No Read-Scale Capabilities: Unlike Availability Groups in Enterprise Edition, Basic Availability Groups do not support readable secondary replicas.
• No Backup Offloading: Backups cannot be performed on the secondary replica.

Conclusion

Basic Availability Groups can fill the gap if your environment doesn’t support a WSFC with the shared disk. However, due to their limitation of supporting only one database, ongoing management of multiple Basic AGs may not be ideal. For example, I’d still use a failover clustered instance if any of the following were true:

• SQL Server Standard Edition is used.
• Not spanning multiple data centers.
• The environment allows for the use of shared disks between machines.

Want to work with The SERO Group?

Want to learn more about how The SERO Group helps organizations take the guesswork out of managing their SQL Servers? Schedule a no-obligation discovery call with us to get started.

The post Basic Availability Groups: Affordable High Availability with Key Limitations appeared first on The SERO Group.

Let’s dive into some of the major risks you might face while managing your SQL Server estate. We’ll also explore some practical ways to mitigate those risks and keep your SQL Server estate running smoothly and securely.

Six Common Business Risks in a SQL Server Estate

Risk 1: Data Breaches

Data breaches are an obvious and constant threat. Hardly a day goes by without a security incident or data breach making the news. A single successful attack can expose sensitive information, damage your company’s reputation, and lead to hefty fines or lawsuits.

Securing your SQL Server estate is essential, and securing the perimeter is not enough. The best security is multi-layered.

To fortify your SQL Server defenses:

• Implement strong access controls and use multi-factor authentication.
• Regularly update and patch your SQL Server instances.
• Encrypt sensitive data both at rest and in transit.
• Conduct regular security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities.
• Train your teams on security best practices and the importance of data protection.

Risk 2: Disaster Recovery

Disasters happen. Sometimes large-scale events like a tornado, flood, or a disruption to your cloud provider’s region may affect your business. Sometimes disasters are more localized, like a hypervisor or operating system crash.

Regardless, without access to your data, operations can be significantly hampered or even completely offline. So, being prepared to quickly recover from such events is crucial for business continuity.

To improve your disaster recovery readiness:

• Develop and regularly update a comprehensive disaster recovery plan.
• Regularly test your disaster recovery procedures to identify and address any weaknesses.
• Consider cloud-based disaster recovery solutions for added flexibility and reliability.
• Ensure your team is well-trained on disaster recovery procedures and their individual roles.
• Implement high availability solutions like clustering or Always On Availability Groups.

Risk 3: Data Loss and Corruption

A common misconception is that data loss or corruption isn’t really an issue anymore. It is.

Database corruption can still happen. Users with higher levels of access can still accidentally delete needed data. And bad actors can still gain access to key systems and encrypt everything. And the results can be painful.

To protect your valuable data:

• Implement a robust backup strategy with regular backups stored securely off-site.
• Test your backups regularly to ensure they can be successfully restored.
• Implement change tracking and auditing to quickly identify and rectify data issues.
• Educate users about the importance of data integrity and proper data handling procedures.
• Use log shipping or Always On Availability Groups for critical databases.

Risk 4: Compliance and Regulatory Issues

Who has elevated permissions to your SQL Server estate? You’ll want to know and review that list regularly. When were users created and given access? When was the access removed? These are good questions to ask and answer, but that may not be enough.

If your company operates in a regulated industry or geographical location, you may be subject to regulatory requirements such as GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and others. Ensuring your SQL Server estate complies with relevant laws is crucial. Non-compliance can result in significant fines and legal headaches.

To navigate the complex world of data regulations:

• Stay informed about regulations that apply to your industry and data types.
• Implement data masking and row-level security to protect sensitive information.
• Cleanse data that is copied to lower-level systems such as dev, test, and QA.
• Regularly audit your compliance efforts and maintain detailed documentation.
• Use SQL Server’s built-in compliance features, such as Transparent Data Encryption and SQL Audit.
• Consider working with compliance experts to ensure you’re meeting all requirements.

Risk 5: Performance Issues

Poorly performing SQL Servers are more than just an annoying inconvenience. They can frustrate users, drive away customers, and affect your company’s bottom line. As the amount of data in your SQL Server estate grows, maintaining optimal performance becomes increasingly challenging.

To keep your SQL Servers running at top speed:

• Create a performance baseline.
• Regularly monitor performance metrics to identify bottlenecks.
• Optimize queries and indexing strategies.
• Implement proper capacity planning and scaling.
• Consider upgrading hardware or moving to cloud-based solutions when necessary.

Risk 6: Talent Shortage

SQL Server is a robust and reliable database platform. However, to achieve peak performance, reliability, and security, it must be regularly maintained. However, finding, recruiting, and retaining skilled SQL Server professionals can be a significant (and expensive) challenge.

To address this talent risk internally:

• Invest in ongoing training and professional development for your existing team.
• Create a positive work environment that encourages growth and job satisfaction.
• Offer competitive compensation and benefits packages to attract and retain top talent.
• Utilize managed services or cloud solutions to supplement your in-house expertise.
• If you rely on an Accidental DBA, provide them with the resources needed to succeed.

Managing Your SQL Server Estate

Managing a SQL Server estate is no small feat, but with the right strategies and precautions, you can significantly reduce your risks and keep your data operations running smoothly. Remember, it’s not about eliminating all risks – that’s nearly impossible. Instead, focus on identifying, understanding, and mitigating these risks to the best of your ability.

Remember, you’re not alone in this journey. Don’t hesitate to leverage external expertise when needed, whether it’s for specialized tasks, security audits, or strategic planning. With the right approach and resources, you can turn these challenges into opportunities to showcase the true value of a well-managed SQL Server environment.

Want to work with The SERO Group?

Want to learn more about how The SERO Group helps organizations manage their SQL Server estates? Schedule a no-obligation discovery call.

The post Reducing Business Risks for a SQL Server Estate appeared first on The SERO Group.

The answer is not simple.

Data roles are diverse and constantly evolving. Similarly, the lines that separate data disciplines are inherently blurred. The reality faced by active data professionals is also complex, with business and project requirements often requiring them to extend their expertise across disciplines. Consequently, data professionals often wear many hats.

Still, it’s useful for those entering the field or looking to hire a data professional to understand some of the important distinctions between data disciplines.

Here are just a few.

Common Data Roles

Data Architect

Data architects design the overall blueprint for your organization’s data environment. They define how data is stored, organized, integrated, and accessed across systems. They also ensure that your data infrastructure is scalable, secure, architected for efficient retrieval, and aligns with your long-term business goals.

Database Administrator (DBA)

DBAs are the administrators of your database systems. They possess a deep knowledge of the database engine itself, including all its native functionality and features. They are also responsible for keeping databases updated, backed up, secure, and performing optimally. DBAs also manage database upgrades and migrations, as well as database recovery in a disaster or emergency.

Data Engineer

Think of data engineers as the builders of your data infrastructure. They design, construct, and maintain the pipelines that collect, store, and process your data. Their toolkit is diverse and often includes programming languages like Python and SQL. It is also common to leverage cloud platforms like Azure, AWS, or GCP. These professionals ensure that your data is accessible, reliable, and ready for analysis.

Data Analyst / Business Intelligence Analyst

Data analysts are the storytellers of the data world. They take the data that engineers have prepared and draw out insights through creating reports, dashboards, and visualizations. Furthermore, their strong analytical skills and ability to recognize patterns allow them to turn data into knowledge. They tell stories with data to help guide decisions. Tools often include Excel and BI reporting platforms like Tableau or Power BI.

Data Scientist

Data scientists take analytics to a deeper level. They use advanced statistical techniques and machine learning to uncover hidden patterns that are often difficult for humans to detect. Similarly, the algorithms used by data scientists can predict future trends, and the outputs of their models are used to drive decision-making. Data scientists possess mathematical expertise, programming skills in languages like Python or R, and domain knowledge relevant to their industry.

Machine Learning Engineer

Machine learning engineers take the models created by data scientists and make them operational in real-world production environments. They leverage both data science and software engineering skills. ML engineers are responsible for building the systems that deploy, monitor, and scale data science models. They also manage these systems to ensure that they deliver accurate and timely predictions once deployed in a real-world context.

Tips for Choosing Your Future Data Role

Shadowing some different data professionals is a great way to get started. Depending on which role appeals to you, there are different pathways to getting started.

If you have a background in system administration, data architecture and database administration may be good avenues to investigate. Likewise, people who have enjoyed building their own home labs may also enjoy these data roles.

Similarly, if you love automation and problem-solving for technical efficiency, one of the engineering roles may be right for you. Engineers enjoy designing and building solutions for technical challenges.

Finally, if you have a mind for analytics and statistics, an analyst or data science role may be a great fit. These roles uncover the root causes of the problems under investigation in order to unlock potential solutions.

There are a variety of ways to kick-start your journey for any of these data disciplines.

1. Self-Education. There are many resources available online that can guide you through learning specialized skills. Set up a home lab environment in which to safely practice. Start to build a profile of projects and/or certifications that can showcase your new skills.
2. Bootcamps. The number and variety of bootcamps for data have increased dramatically in the last 5 years. If your schedule allows for participation in one of these intense programs, they can be a great way to upskill rapidly.
3. Formal education. If you are looking to go into a highly specialized role in a particular knowledge domain or industry, obtaining an advanced degree can be a great way to get started.

Determining which path to take will depend on what appeals to you and on the circumstances in which you are beginning your journey. The key, however, is just taking the first step.

Tips for Hiring: Which Data Role Do You Need?

Just as the path to becoming a data professional depends on individual circumstances, the type of data professional to hire will also depend on your organization’s needs and where you are in your data maturity journey.

Here are some hiring considerations for several common scenarios:

Just Starting Out

If you are building your data capabilities from the ground up, a data engineer with versatile skills is a great first hire. While partnering with system administrators and business experts, as well as potentially seeking external assistance from a DBA or data architect, a data engineer can lay the foundation for your future data work.

Business Optimization / Improved Operations

If you are looking to use your data for improved operations, a data or business intelligence analyst can work with business partners to track key metrics, identify trends, and drive data-driven decisions to find ways to improve. Likewise, by developing an understanding of the business, this person can work as a bridge between business and IT teams to help harness the full potential of your data.

Complex or Outdated Data Environment

A data architect can bring order to chaos by ensuring that your data is well-organized, accessible, and scalable as your organization grows and expands. Data architects can also be instrumental in reshaping legacy structures to meet current business requirements and make the best use of modern technologies.

Predictive Insights and Automation

Data scientists and machine learning engineers are ideal for building models that can make important predictions, optimize processes, and/or automate complex AI tasks. It is important to note, however, that having a robust, well-governed data infrastructure is a prerequisite for success for these types of initiatives.

Diverse Needs, Large-Scale Projects, or Complex Remediation

Partnering with an external data team with diverse areas of expertise can be an affordable way to: remediate complex problems, make infrastructure improvements rapidly, or design and implement large-scale solutions. Leveraging this type of support also allows you to access professionals with expertise in different data roles and may offer flexibility for scaling up or scaling down your level of support as needed.

Want to work with The SERO Group?

Want to learn more about how SERO Group helps organizations take the guesswork out of managing their SQL estate? Schedule a no-obligation discovery call with us to get started.

The post What’s in a Job Title? Understanding Changing Data Roles appeared first on The SERO Group.

The risks of delaying code analysis

Delaying an analysis of code compatibility is surprisingly common for businesses undertaking a migration to the cloud. Early cost-benefit analyses often address the hardware and infrastructure changes involved but can sometimes neglect to consider the impact of required code changes.

Infrastructure concerns are critical considerations when evaluating a move to the cloud. However, limiting our analysis to these considerations may hide the costs and risks associated with any necessary re-engineering. Unfortunately, it is very possible for these hidden risks and costs to turn out to be deal-breakers. To avoid a sticky situation, learn about these factors up front before investing time and energy into migration preparations.

Azure options: SQL VM vs. Managed Instance vs. SQL Database

It is important to note that a “move to the cloud” can come in many forms. Some examples are migrations to a hybrid environment, “lift and shift” moves to Azure-hosted VMs or SQL Managed Instances (SQL MI), or full or partial migrations to multi-tenant Azure SQL Databases (SQL DB). You will need to know what type of migration is being considered before evaluating code changes since the different options have different levels of compatibility with SQL Server.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the options in Azure with SQL Server compatibility.

IaaS Option

SQL Server on an Azure VM
Since this option constitutes a full installation of SQL Server on a dedicated Azure-hosted virtual machine, there are no code or feature incompatibilities to be concerned about. Azure SQL VMs achieve complete feature parity with on-premises SQL environments. With this option, the primary difference between the Azure implementation and an on-premises installation is the management of the underlying server.

PaaS Options

Azure SQL Managed Instance
SQL MI boasts “near 100% compatibility” with the latest Enterprise Edition of the SQL Server database engine, while still including automated backups, patching, and high availability of the SQL environment. This option uses a single-tenant database engine intended to enable the least disruptive migration from an on-premises or Azure-hosted SQL Server instance to a full PaaS environment. This means that many of the incompatibilities that exist with Azure SQL Database are minimized or eliminated with Azure SQL MI. However, functionality that requires access to the file system or OS is still impacted.

Azure SQL Database
Azure SQL DB is another fully managed PaaS option consisting of a multi-tenant database engine that is optimized for cloud-native applications. While this option is generally less expensive than Azure SQL MI, there is less overlap with SQL Server and greater potential for code or data flow incompatibilities.

10 Common Incompatibilities

There are several very helpful tools (see the “Resources and tools” section below) that can help you identify data flow issues prior to migration. As you go through your analysis, keep in mind that Microsoft has established workarounds for a good number of these incompatibilities, so their presence in your code does not necessarily mean they are a barrier to migration.

For a high-level overview, here are some of the most common sticking points we see for migrating SQL code. The differences between SQL MI and SQL DB are included where applicable, as well as some potential workarounds.

1. Uses linked servers

Linked servers can be used in SQL MI to access SQL Server and Azure SQL Databases without distributed transactions. SQL DB requires the use of elastic queries instead.

2. Performs cross-database queries or transactions

These are supported with SQL MI, but not with SQL DB. In SQL DB, cross-database queries may be able to be converted to elastic queries.

3. Uses Database Mail

This is available for SQL MI but not SQL DB. There are workarounds available for sending email in the Azure platform, but they will require some re-engineering.

4. Uses system tables, views, functions, or stored procedures

Some system objects are available in both SQL MI and SQL DB but not all. Consult Microsoft’s documentation for a full comparison of what is available.

One important note is that the amount of space available to tempdb is provisioned in both SQL MI and SQL DB based on the number of cores available and the service tier licensed. Consult the documentation of each for details.

5. Accesses Windows command line or file system

Neither SQL MI nor SQL DB supports direct access to the file system or the Windows command line.

One workaround is to migrate files to Azure Blob Storage or Azure Files. For SQL MI, with the appropriate security and firewall configurations, it is also possible to establish connectivity between your Managed Instance’s VNet and the location of an on-premises file share.

SQL MI also supports SSISDB configuration and the Integration Services Catalog, allowing SSIS packages to be used for file manipulation. Azure Data Factory can also be leveraged to load and transform files for both SQL MI and SQL DB. An Azure-SSIS Integration Runtime (IR) can be installed and configured, and SSIS packages can be run directly from Azure Data Factory.

6. Uses change data capture (CDC)

Change data capture is supported for SQL MI. It is also supported for SQL DB, but only in the S3 service tier and above.

7. Uses BULK INSERT or OPENROWSET

BULK INSERT and OPENROWSET are only supported from a supported Azure file source (e.g.: Azure Blob Storage or Azure Files).

8. Uses .NET Framework: common language runtime (CLR)

CLR support is not available for SQL DB, but it is available in SQL MI with some important differences.

9. SQL Server Agent

SQL Server Agent is not available in SQL DB, and elastic jobs should be used instead. In SQL MI, SQL Server Agent is supported with important differences.

10. Uses semantic search

Full-text semantic search is not available in either SQL MI or SQL DB.

Other important things to remember when migrating to a PaaS environment

• High availability: Since high availability is included in the PaaS offerings, SQL Server functionality and syntax connected with Always On Availability Groups is not supported.
• Maintenance: Updates, patches, backups, and restores are likewise managed automatically in the PaaS offerings. Therefore, associated T-SQL syntax will not work in SQL DB and will be different for SQL MI.
• Credential management: Windows authentication is not supported in SQL DB, and is replaced by Windows Authentication for Microsoft Entra in SQL MI.
• Collation: Catalog collation is set when an instance (SQL MI) or a database (SQL DB) is created, and it cannot be changed afterwards.

Resources and tools

I hope this provided you with a jump-start for thinking about whether your SQL Server code is Azure-ready.

Here are a few more resources and tools that can help you take the next steps toward a full compatibility analysis:

• Data Migration Assistant – Microsoft’s robust tool for enabling database compatibility assessments, recommendations, and migration assistance.
• Azure Migrate – this service can be used as a start-to-finish hub for planning and facilitating a cloud migration.
• Pro Database Migration to Azure – An excellent and comprehensive book covering the best practices for successful on-premises migrations to the Azure cloud platform.

Want to learn more?

Want to learn more about how The SERO Group helps organizations prepare for a SQL Server cloud migration? Schedule a call and let’s talk.

The post Is your SQL Server Code Ready for Azure? appeared first on The SERO Group.

But why now? They’ve been in business for years and are just now interested in HA/DR. What changed?

Reasons vary, but the following are very common:

• A new cyber insurance policy requiring a HA/DR or business continuity plan.
• A need for HA/DR capability in order to create or develop a new revenue stream.
• General curiosity due to SQL Server marketing materials.
• A new client or business group who has asked about HA/DR.
• Concerns raised during a recent audit.
• Recent outage that impacted revenue.

SQL Server has several options to choose from when it comes to HA/DR. These include:

• Log Shipping: No automatic failover capabilities. Available on SQL Server Standard and Enterprise editions.
• Database Mirroring: Deprecated, don’t use it in new environments.
• Failover Cluster Instances: Available on SQL Server Standard and Enterprise editions.
  • What’s the Difference in SQL Server FCIs and AGs?
• Availability Groups

Since you’re here to learn more about availability groups, I’ll introduce you to the two main types.

Availability Groups

Availability Groups were introduced in SQL Server 2012 Enterprise Edition. They provide advanced high availability and disaster recovery capabilities.

• Edition Support: Available in SQL Server 2012 Enterprise Edition and later. FYI: Official support for SQL Server 2012 ended in 2022.
• Number of Replicas: SQL Server 2022 specs – One primary and up to 8 secondary replicas (under asynchronous-commit mode or up to 5 can run under synchronous-commit mode).
• Supports readable secondaries: Yes
• Failover: Supports automatic failover for synchronous-commit replicas and manual failover for asynchronous-commit replicas.
• Use Cases:
  • Ideal for mission-critical applications requiring high availability and disaster recovery across multiple databases.
  • Suitable for enterprises needing advanced features like read-only secondary replicas for offloading read workloads.

Requirements:

• Same OS version on all nodes.
• Proper network infrastructure to support data replication with minimal latency.
• Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC). There are some exceptions to this that I’ll cover in a later post.
• SQL Server 2019 Enterprise Edition or later. Available with earlier versions, but those are out of mainstream support. I wouldn’t want you building a new AG on unsupported versions. In fact, that would almost certainly raise flags in other areas of your cyber insurance policy.

Basic Availability Groups

Up until SQL Server 2016, AGs were only available in Enterprise Edition. However, in 2016, Microsoft introduced us to Basic Availability Groups. Basic AGs provide an introduction to high availability and disaster recovery solutions for a single database.

• Edition Support: Available in SQL Server 2016 Standard Edition and later.
• Number of Replicas: Supports two replicas (one primary and one secondary).
• Supports readable secondaries: No. See the limitations here.
• Failover: Supports automatic failover, but only in a single-database environment.
• Use Cases:
  • Ideal for small businesses or environments where budget constraints prevent the use of Enterprise Edition.
  • Suitable for applications that require minimal HA/DR capabilities.

Requirements:

• Same OS version on both nodes.
• SQL Server 2016 Standard Edition or later.
• Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC)
• Proper network infrastructure to support data replication with minimal latency.

Which should you choose?

Getting AGs right takes practice. When done wrong, performance and availability can both suffer. Budgets can be destroyed by licenses. Understanding your options, including their requirements and differences, can help you choose the right solution for your environment. Whether you’re driven by audits, insurance policies, or those uncomfortable “could not open a connection to SQL Server” errors, investing in HA/DR solutions is crucial for maintaining business continuity and minimizing downtime.

So, which would I choose? If I had the option to use shared storage, I’d opt for building a failover clustered instance instead of using a Basic AG. FCIs support failover of multiple databases and can be used with Standard Edition. However, if shared storage isn’t an option and you need automatic failover capabilities for a single database or if you’re working in a hybrid environment (Azure and on-premises), Basic AGs may be a good choice for you.

Have questions about HA/DR? Here are two ways we can help.

1. Schedule a call with us to connect with our consultants. We’ve helped numerous clients just like you meet their uptime objectives.
2. Consider SEROShield, our DBA team as a service. Not only will we help build the AG, but we’ll also support it. It’ll be like driving around in a new car (you know, the one with the new car smell) that you know is covered by the best possible insurance.

Next in this series

There are a few lesser-known availability group types that we didn’t discuss today but will in upcoming posts: Contained AGs, Distributed AGs, and Domain-independent AGs.

Follow us on LinkedIn to get notified when we release new blog posts.

The post Availability Groups: What’s Right for Your Business? appeared first on The SERO Group.