I’ve had several companies inquire about SQL Server’s built-in high availability options over the years. This conversation usually indicates a need to ensure that their database systems remain operational and accessible with minimal downtime. But why now? They’ve been in business for years and are just now interested in HA/DR. What changed? Reasons vary, but…
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No one wants a slow, unreliable SQL Server that leaks data like a sieve. No, they want a fast, reliable, and secure database environment. However, they may not want it right now. Creating a better SQL environment can wait until later, right? It might seem that way, but the risks will only grow while you…
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Does the perfect SQL Server exist? And what would that even look like? Let’s think about it for a moment. If the perfect SQL Server exists, it would be flawlessly tuned for its workload. It would have the ideal amount of hardware resources, and its settings would be perfectly optimized. The perfect SQL Server would…
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SQL Server is designed to efficiently manage memory on its own. It requests memory when it’s needed and releases memory back to the system when it’s not. However, the default settings may not be ideal for your situation. An experienced database administrator will usually fine-tune these settings to optimize performance and server stability. Minimum server…
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Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server is worth considering for organizations looking to unify their database management and capitalize on cloud-native features while still keeping their data on-premises. Azure Arc is a set of technologies from Microsoft that extends Azure management and services to any infrastructure, including other clouds, on-premises, and edge. This enables you to manage…
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“So, I’ve heard that SQL Server 2016 Extended Support expires on July 14, 2026. That doesn’t sound like a good thing, but what exactly does it mean? Can I still use my SQL Server, or do I have to upgrade? And what’s the difference between Mainstream and Extended Support anyway?” That’s a pretty common question.…
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With the explosion of AI and ever-increasing awareness of the importance of data, the term “data governance” seems to be everywhere these days. We hear it used in different contexts, and it may seem to equate to regulatory compliance or to have relevance for only the largest companies. This interpretation misses a key benefit of…
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Editor’s note: This webinar has passed, but click here to access a recording of the event. This insightful webinar digs into the critical realm of data governance for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) with Natasha Collins, Database Consultant at The SERO Group. Discover how overlooking data quality and integrity can cost your company dearly, from…
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For years, I’ve recommended data and log files reside on separate drives for performance reasons. But given today’s flash arrays, virtualization, and much of the storage subsystem being abstracted, is separating data and log files still important? Short answer: yes, it should be, but don’t stop there. Long answer: it depends. You should review multiple…
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I’m my last post on SQL Server Setting, I discussed MAXDOP and how it can affect SQL Server performance. In this post, I’ll review another SQL Server configuration setting that can impact performance – Optimize for Ad-hoc Workloads. What is the plan cache? Every time you run a query in SQL Server, an execution plan…
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