Some companies take virtual machine snapshots of their web servers, their file servers, and their Citrix servers. They regularly snapshot before software patching, before server upgrades, and before other configuration changes. Snapshotting a good way to ensure they can recover the VM if something goes wrong. So, that begs the question: should you use VM…
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“I bought some instant water one time but I didn’t know what to add to it.” – Steven Wright, comedian. I’ve always like Steven Wright‘s dry sense of humor and comedic timing. He’s got a lot of other great quotes similar to this one. Ok. But how does this relate to SQL Server? What’s really…
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Users are complaining. One of your SQL Servers is not just slow, but slooooooooooooooooowwwwwww. A 6-syllable slow. We’ve all been there. We’ve all had SQL Servers that are underperforming. But where do you start with performance tuning? Let’s look to a proven approach for decision-making and troubleshooting as our guide – the OODA Loop. The…
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“My SQL Server hasn’t had any problems. It just works. Do I still need a SQL Server Health Check?” The TL;DR answer is yes, it’s good to check on your SQL Server regularly. SQL Server just works, but… The SQL Server development team has done a great job. They’ve created a database platform that is…
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Let’s have a look at implicit type conversions and how they can affect SQL Server’s performance. What are type conversions? Let’s start with the basics. What are data type conversions? (If you’re well-versed in this, feel free to skip ahead a bit.) SQL Server works with different types of data. It works with numbers, character…
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When we examine SQL Servers as part of our SEROShield SQL Server Health Check, we find five commonly overlooked SQL Server settings that can put performance, reliability, and even data at risk. Why are SQL Servers often misconfigured? SQL Server is robust. Microsoft has put a lot of effort into creating a database platform that…
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The moon over my morning walk today. It was bright and beautiful. And under its glow, I realized that my morning walks have become an important routine for me. They are important for my physical and emotional health. They help start the day off on the right foot, so to speak. Similarly, routines are instrumental…
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I sliced into an avocado while making lunch recently. The size of the seed compared to the fruit was shocking! It was huge. There was only a thin layer of fruit surrounding a large, bulbous seed. Interestingly, some avocados are just the opposite – the seed is tiny compared to the amount of fruit inside.…
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SQL Servers? Check. Important databases? Check. SQL Server DBA? Umm, no. Now what? If you’re like some companies, you’ve tasked a sys admin with keeping the SQL Servers running, in their spare time. Not optimal, but a full-time DBA is not in the budget. In an upcoming webinar, Working Without a DBA? A 10-Step Recipe…
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“Oh, we use VM snapshots to backup our SQL Servers.” We sometimes hear this when talking with companies, especially when we’re delivering a SQL Server Health Check Assessment. And why not? It makes sense. Companies take snapshots of their file servers. They snapshot of their web servers before upgrades. FTP servers, Citrix servers, and even…
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