What is Accelerated Database Recovery?

Accelerated Database Recovery (ADR) came out in SQL Server 2019 and is an enhanced way for SQL Server to do database crash recovery. It uses a new Streaming Log (SLOG) feature that allows much faster redo and undo phases of the process by tracking any non-versioned actions.

The Persistent Version Store is another new component to the process. It holds row versions in the database itself, either on the data pages being modified or in a separate system table. This persisted version store is very similar to how read committed snapshot isolation uses row-versions to allow for read and write queries to operate without blocking each other. This holding mechanism for row versions is cleaned up periodically by a background process that removes unneeded row versions. This persisted version store, in combination with the SLOG, allows a couple of things.

First, in the redo phase there is no longer the need to read the transaction log serially from the oldest uncommitted transaction forward to the time of the crash to replay and redo records for creating a consistent state in the database. Instead, SQL Server uses the SLOG to recover any non-versioned actions from the oldest uncommitted transaction forward up to the point of the last checkpoint. This is much faster. Once the last checkpoint is reached, only then will SQL Server start reading the transaction log for any redo work.

Second, in the Undo phase, the SLOG is used again to undo any non-versioned operations, and the persistent version store is used to simply switch the database rows back to whatever the proper current row was at the time of the crash.

Traditional Recovery: Picture from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/accelerated-database-recovery-concepts?view=sql-server-ver17

Recovery using Accelerated Database Recovery: Picture from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/accelerated-database-recovery-concepts?view=sql-server-ver17

Why would you want to enable Accelerated Database Recovery?

Accelerated database recovery can save you and your clients from extended outages due to long rollback times under heavy load. I’ve seen rollback times of 45-60 minutes be reduced to seconds with this feature enabled. The use-case I had was during SQL Server patching clients weren’t always out of the system as requested. In some cases, the client activity had a lot of changes in-flight when patching was applied and the traditional recovery method took a very long time after the server rebooted.

I enabled ADR and never had that problem again. This feature can also save you from pain you inflict on yourself. If you’re running a query to make a lot of changes and it is decided to kill the query, causing rollback, then the ADR feature can execute rollback almost instantaneously. This is much better than waiting a long time for single threaded rollback of a query that has been running a long time.

How to determine if Accelerated Database Recovery is enabled?

The system table sys.databases can be queried to show whether this feature is enabled or not.

SELECT name
FROM sys.databases 
WHERE is_accelerated_database_recovery_on = 1;

How to enable Accelerated Database Recovery?

An exclusive database lock is required to enable Accelerated Database Recovery. This means the change should be done in a maintenance window where no activity is expected. The feature can be enabled in the presence of other activity using the termination clause WITH ROLLBACK [IMMMEDIATE | AFTER {Number} SECONDS | NO_WAIT] . Using the  IMMEDIATE option will immediately rollback other transactions so that the ALTER statement will complete. The NO_WAIT option will terminate the ALTER statement if it can’t be executed immediately. Choose one of the three options.

ALTER DATABASE [<db_name>] SET ACCELERATED_DATABASE_RECOVERY = ON WITH ROLLBACK [IMMMEDIATE | AFTER {Number} SECONDS | NO_WAIT;

What sp_configure settings should be adjusted for Accelerated Database Recovery?

First, the ADR Cleaner Thread Count option in sp_configure controls the number of cpu threads to use for the background cleaner process that removes old row versions from the Persisted Version Store. This option was introduced in SQL Server 2022. It is advisable not to set this to a large number. You can increase it from the default of 1 to 2 or perhaps 4 to ensure that Persisted Version Store cleanup is happening quickly enough across a large number of databases.

-- Configure ADR cleaner to use 4 threads
EXEC sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1;
RECONFIGURE;

EXEC sp_configure 'ADR Cleaner Thread Count', 4;
RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE;

Second, the ADR Pre-allocation Factor setting can also be adjusted. If the “just in time” mechanism to allocate pages to store rows in the persisted version store is above zero by a significant amount, then this sp_configure option can be set to allocate pages ahead of time for the version store. There is an extended event called tx_version_optimized_insert_stats that can be reviewed to see what the “just in time” value is. The value to check is labeled “foreground_allocation_percent.”

The default value for the ADR pre-allocation factor is 4. The number of pages allocated at any one time is 512 X the ADR Pre-allocation Factor. It isn’t recommended to set this fact too high because pre-allocating too many pages can cause contention.

-- Configure ADR Preallocation Factor
EXEC sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1;
RECONFIGURE;

EXEC sp_configure 'ADR Preallocation Factor', 6; -- Defaults vary based on workload
RECONFIGURE WITH OVERRIDE;

Is a Long Rollback Costing You Downtime?

SQL Server recovery issues can turn a routine maintenance window into a multi-hour outage. The SERO Group specializes in exactly this kind of proactive SQL Server management. Schedule a free discovery call and let’s talk about your environment.

The post An Overview of Accelerated Database Recovery appeared first on The SERO Group.

• A runaway transaction filling up a log file or even an mdf file in a user database or tempdb.
• Someone or some process took an extra backup that wasn’t planned for.
• A new database was created with larger than expected files sizes.
• An application is using the Volume Shadow Service to make backups of databases to a local volume.

This last scenario related to volume shadow service is what I want to talk about today. This one can be a little confusing at first because your organization may get a low disk space alert that doesn’t seem to make sense. The alert may indicate that there is less than 10% free space, but looking at the volume in Windows Explorer doesn’t show that at all. It turns out that VSS files aren’t visible to Windows explorer. You might come across this when investigating the following error, “Volsnap – 36 – The shadow copies of volume E: were aborted because the shadow copy storage could not grow due to a user imposed limit.”

To investigate what is happening, try some of the VSSAdmin commands, like this:

vssadmin list shadowstorage

The output pf this PowerShell command will show what volumes are being backed up by VSS, and what the target volume is for those VSS files. If the volumes are already low on space, deleting some of the shadow copies may be the first thing needed. This can be done with the following command:

vssadmin delete shadows /for=<ForVolumeSpec> [/oldest | /all | /shadow=<ShadowID>] [/quiet]

Then a limit can be placed on the amount of storage allocated to VSS files using this command:

vssadmin resize shadowstorage /for=<ForVolumeSpec> /on=<OnVolumeSpec> [/maxsize=<MaxSizeSpec>]

Keep in mind that someone will need to determine first if the older VSS files are needed prior to executing the delete and resize commands.

Tired of Chasing SQL Server Alerts?

Dealing with disk space issues on your SQL Servers? That’s exactly the kind of problem The SERO Group solves every day. Schedule a free discovery call and let’s take a look.

The post How to Use VSSADMIN Commands To Manage Low Disk Space appeared first on The SERO Group.

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.

What are contained Availability Groups?

Contained AGs enhance the traditional Availability Groups (AGs) introduced in SQL Server 2012. CAGs include user databases and the associated server objects, such as logins, permissions, and SQL Server Agent jobs. Contained AGs automatically sync these objects across replicas. This saves the DBA from having to manually make these changes.

Key benefits of contained AGs

Ease of Management: Contained AGs bundle both databases and associated instance-level objects, simplifying management. This especially simplifies managing complex environments in which an application depends on resources outside of the database replica. Before CAGs, the synchronization of these objects required home-grown solutions using T-SQL and/or PowerShell.

Seamless Failover: With traditional AGs, failover could sometimes result in missing instance-level objects, leading to broken applications. CAGs ensure that all necessary objects are included within the group, providing a seamless failover experience.

Getting started

To get started, you’ll need:

• A Windows Server Failover Cluster (preferably Windows Server 2022) with at least two nodes.
• SQL Server 2022 Enterprise Edition. Developer Edition works for testing purposes.

Additionally, the following resources can be used as a guide for building your contained AG:

• SQL Server Contained Availability Groups Configuration (mssqltips.com)
• What is a contained availability group? – SQL Server Always On | Microsoft Learn

Want to work with The SERO Group?

Learn how The SERO Group can simplify SQL Server management for your organization. Schedule a no-obligation discovery call with us to get started.

The post Streamline SQL Server Management with Contained Availability Groups appeared first on The SERO Group.