Indexes are an essential part of any SQL Server database. One of the keys to improving performance is understanding how indexes work. Indexes help speed up data retrieval, optimize query performance, and improve the overall efficiency of your database. SQL Server offers several index types, but clustered and non-clustered indexes are the most important. Understanding…
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How to Build a Business Case for Modernization In today’s always-on business environment, database downtime isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a direct hit to revenue, productivity, and customer trust. Despite this, many organizations delay modernization efforts due to perceived costs and complexity. However, the real question is: can your business afford not to modernize? Read on…
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Restoring large databases can be time-consuming, but online piecemeal restores in SQL Server Enterprise offer quicker access to data. This method allows partial restoration while keeping the primary filegroup online, minimizing downtime. Requirements include using the Enterprise edition, multiple filegroups, a full recovery model, and available log backups. Best practices enhance efficiency.
When a SQL Server database is the backbone of your application, its design will have a huge impact on the application’s performance. While many developers just view the database as a container for storing data, the truth is that a well-designed database is critical to your application’s speed, reliability, and ability to scale with your…
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“Why is SQL Server memory usage high?” If you haven’t been asked this question, you haven’t supported SQL Server long enough. I’ve encountered managers, systems administrators, and developers who’ve wondered this. Simply put, data reads are much faster in RAM than from disks. RAM latency is typically measured in nanoseconds. By contrast, disk latency is…
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As 2025 kicks off, organizations are eagerly setting new goals. For DBAs, a top priority might be preparing thoroughly for the next IT audit. Whether planned or unplanned, an audit can significantly impact how others perceive your IT department’s reliability. A seamless audit highlights strong governance and dependable systems, while missteps can reveal vulnerabilities and…
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Need to build a SQL Server FCI in AWS but prefer not to use FSx for Windows File Server? Good news, you have other options. One option that more closely aligns with traditional FCIs that use shared disks is Multi-Attach EBS volumes. Multi-Attach EBS volumes in AWS enable organizations to use Windows Server Failover Clusters…
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So, your Microsoft SQL Server is showing its age, and you need to upgrade it. What’s the best approach—an in-place upgrade or a side-by-side upgrade? For many businesses, especially those in industries like healthcare or banking, where reliability, security, and performance are non-negotiable, a side-by-side SQL Server upgrade is often the smarter choice. But first,…
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“This SQL Server is critical. It’s used 24/7. So, we’re behind on patching, and we disabled our scheduled preventative maintenance jobs because they interfered with production. Our database is just too important to do that. We know that maintenance is important, but we just can’t.” Does that sound familiar? I hope not. It’s not a…
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Being an “Accidental DBA” is a role some IT professionals find themselves in. Whether you’re an IT generalist, a software developer, or another professional tasked with SQL Server management on top of your primary responsibilities, the role can feel daunting. From maintaining performance to ensuring security, from verifying backups to responding to problems, SQL Server…
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