Because of its many roles, tempdb is the source of performance issues in SQL Server, and there are recommended configuration changes to mitigate this. In this article, Fabiano Amorim demonstrates another issue with tempdb performance that you probably didn’t know about. … Read more
Microsoft introduced several features called Intelligent Query Processing for SQL Server in 2017 and 2019 that can improve performance without making changes to code. In this article, Greg Larsen demonstrates the feature Batch Mode on Rowstore. … Read more
Today, most organization are using solid-state drives for everything from laptops to enterprise database storage and virtual machines. In this article, Robert Sheldon explains how NAND flash solid-state drives work.… Read more
Microsoft has added a group of features called Intelligent Query Processing to SQL Server 2017 and 2019. In this article, Greg Larsen explains one of the features, Scalar UDF Inlining.… Read more
Accelerated Database Recovery is new with SQL Server 2019 and Azure SQL Database and used to decrease the time for rolling back large operations and database recovery. In this article, Forrest McDaniel explains how it works. … Read more
Microsoft continues to enhance the performance of SQL Server with new features. In this article, Monica Rathbun explains how to work with columnstore indexes, a different way to store tables that can drastically improve the performance of specific workloads.… Read more
While architecting cloud native applications, you need to ensure that your system is highly available, performant, scalable, fault tolerant, and has the capability to recover from a disaster scenario. In this article, Samir Behara discusses the options available when designing the database architecture to achieve scalability.… Read more
T-SQL window functions have been a fantastic addition to the T-SQL language. In this article, Kathi Kellenberger reviews how optimizations available in SQL Server 2019 can improve the performance of these functions.… Read more
SQLPSX is a useful library you can add to PowerShell to automate many DBA tasks. In this article, Laerte Junior demonstrates several useful commands and shows you how to create a SQL Agent job using this library to run daily DBA checks.… Read more
As new versions of SQL Server have been released, the Query Optimizer has undergone many improvements. Adaptive Query Processing, new in 2017, represents a new direction. This set of features provides some flexibility for varying join types, multi-statement table valued functions, and memory grants. In this article, Robert Sheldon explains the three features that make up Adaptive Query Processing … Read more
The Extended Events (or XEvents) feature has been part of SQL Server since 2008, but many database professionals struggle to get started using it. In this article, Phil Factor demonstrates several useful Extended Event sessions that measure just one thing in each. He then provides the code necessary to parse the resulting XML into something you can use.… Read more
Just recently, my local .NET user group asked me to present at their meeting on the topic of graphical execution plans. I love presenting for developers on SQL Server topics. I’m often describing something well known by database administrators, but completely new to the devs. I think the group learned a lot from me that … Read more
Being a database administrator is much more than knowing how to install SQL Server and set up a database. One of the most important responsibilities is being proactive by monitoring the instances in their care. But, what should be monitored? Here are the top five things to monitor when you are a SQL Server DBA: … Read more
T-SQL window functions, introduced in 2005 with enhancements in 2012, are great additions to the T-SQL language. In this article, Kathi Kellenberger explains what you need to know to get good performance when using these functions.… Read more
I was recently asked about which tools I used back when I was a full-time SQL Server database administrator. I had a tool to compress backups and a monitoring tool with licenses for just a fraction of the servers I was responsible for. Over time, I figured out ways to gather information or automate processes … Read more
One of the most important tools for query tuning is the ability to view execution plans. They are even portable; you can send an execution plan to get advice from someone who doesn't have access to the underlying data. Have you even considered that sensitive information might travel along with the plans? Hugo Kornelis explains how execution plans affect data protection. … Read more
Developer shops may decide to use Read Committed Snapshot Isolation (RCSI) to reduce contention, and possibly improve performance, but it is not without its own pitfalls. In this article, Uwe Ricken describes a situation where long running transactions caused a severe performance degradation when RCSI was in use.… Read more
Database administrators have enormous responsibility whether they manage one or hundreds of servers. Monica Rathbun tells us how she survived as the Lone DBA for 56 database servers for over a decade. While many DBAs work on teams instead of alone, she has great advice for all.… Read more
