When SQL Server is not as fast as users think it ought to be, how can you tell where the slowdown is? Where’s the performance bottleneck? Where’s the traffic jam? Is it waiting on CPU? Does it needs memory? What about the disks? Could SQL Server be slow because of disk latency? Could be. But…
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If a user is a member of db_datareader, which grants access to a table, and db_denydatareader, which denies access to a table, which role will take precedent? That’s the question someone on LinkedIn recently posted in the SQL Server Administrators group recently. Here’s a link to the question. The LinkedIn poster essentially wanted to know…
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“I want to learn [a technology]. Where should I start?” Since I’ve spent the last 25 year working with SQL Server (no exaggeration, see footnote), the question is usually about learning SQL Server. Sometimes it’s about learning related technologies such as data analytics and visualization, scripting languages such as Python or PowerShell, or the burgeoning…
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The end of Mainstream Support. Is that really as dire as it sounds? Because it sounds like I’ll be completely on my own. No support. At least no “mainstream” support, whatever that means. What happens if something goes wrong?
“The server is seriously slow! Can’t we add memory or something?” We’ve all heard this before. You may have even thought it yourself. Adding resources could be an easy fix to a troublesome performance problem. After all, SQL Server hungers for memory. The more the better. And a side of processor goes a long way,…
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We’ve made it! The start of a new year. Now is a great time to reflect on what you’d like to accomplish over the next 12 months at work, and more specifically, what you would like to do with your SQL Server environment this year. To help with that, here are five activities or goals…
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Checking the number of tempdb data files is straightforward. Here are three easy ways: one graphical, one T-SQL, and one PowerShell, so you can use your tools of choice.
We’re frequently asked how many tempdb files a SQL Server should have, especially from those who have downloaded our free 5 Common SQL Server Configuration Issues PDF. That’s because there’s a lot of well-intended but incorrect information posted on the internet about tempdb. What Is tempdb? Let’s start with a very brief description of tempdb. When SQL…
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“The nice thing about standards is that you have so many to choose from,” quipped renown computer scientist Andrew Tanenbaum. In the SQL Server world, we have industry best practices. These are guidelines that most every knowledgeable database professional will agree is a good idea or a good baseline. Sure there are exceptions, specific tweaks…
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