Microsoft SQL Server Consultant
Blog posts relating to SQL Performance Tuning.
SQL Server tuning is the process of optimizing the database’s configuration, queries, and infrastructure to ensure the system runs as efficiently as possible. The goal is to reduce resource usage, increase query speed, and improve overall system responsiveness. Performance tuning involves analyzing server performance metrics, identifying bottlenecks, and implementing solutions that range from hardware upgrades to query rewriting. These optimizations are crucial for maintaining a smooth user experience and supporting business-critical applications.
A key aspect of performance tuning is query optimization. Poorly written SQL queries, missing indexes, or incorrect indexing strategies often lead to slow query execution. By using tools such as execution plans and SQL Profiler, DBAs can identify and correct inefficiencies in SQL code. Techniques like index tuning, query rewriting, and partitioning can drastically reduce query execution times. Regularly updating statistics and reorganizing or rebuilding indexes further enhances query performance and ensures accurate query plans.
Beyond queries, performance tuning also focuses on the SQL Server environment itself. Configuring server settings, adjusting memory allocation, and fine-tuning I/O operations play a significant role in optimizing database performance. Monitoring tools like Database Health Monitor (available at DatabaseHealth.com) provide insights into server health and potential issues. Stedman Solutions offers comprehensive SQL Server performance tuning services, combining years of experience with specialized tools to ensure your SQL Server environment performs at its peak. Learn more about our managed services at Stedman Solutions.
SSRS Editor Tip of the Day… CTRL + Arrows Wed, 28 Jul 2021 I learned this from one of my co-workers. A quick tip for formatting SSRS reports. When you are in the SSRS report editor, and you want to move the currently selected object (or objects), you can move them with …. Read more… TSQL Basics Part 19: TWO …
KeePass – to improve your process Before proceeding with the article, please take this quick password safety test …. Read More …. TSQL Basics Part 12: OUTER APPLY – Video Explanation Next, we have the OUTER APPLY. And this is a lot like, instead of an INNER JOIN, where it’s gonna be a lot like a LEFT OUTER JOIN between…. …
We recently worked on a SQL Server Performance Assessment for a client and during that we assisted with the upgrade from SQL Server standard edition to SQL Server enterprise edition. Part of the upgrade was an attempt to make use of more cores on the server. They were using Standard Edition of SQL Server which was fully utilizing 48 cores …
Modern versions of SQL Server have the option for row or page level compression. Here is the script to find those tables that have compression enabled: Tested on SQL Server 2019.
TSQL Basics Part 4: RIGHT OUTER JOIN – Video Instruction Thu, 27 May 2021 This is part 4 of a 19 part series on TSQL Basics. You will first gain an understanding of the differences between each of these types of joins, and when they should be used. Then we’ll explore some common use Read more… Checking job history log …
by Steve Stedman and the Stedman Solutions Team Optimize For Ad-Hoc Workloads – Video Tip Tue, 27 Apr 2021 Learn how Optimize For Ad-Hoc Workloads can save some space in your plan cache. Transcription: Steve Stedman 0:09Hi, this is Steve Stedman and I’m here to talk about daily checkup or database health quick scan items that we come across Read more… …
The question comes up when looking at an execution plan of whats the difference between an index seek and an index scan. What it really comes down to is speed, for tables with a large number of rows, and thus indexes with a large number of rows, an index seek may take significantly less time than an index scan. This …
by Steve Stedman and the Stedman Solutions Team Database Corruption vs Drive Failure Explained Thu, 25 Mar 2021 If you don’t know the difference between server corruption and drive failure then this video is for you. It will all be explained in this quick 6 min video. Transcription: Steve Stedman 0:10Now, one of the things that when w Read more… …
Here’s a quick and easy link to review all blog posts written by Steve Stedman in February 2021. Enjoy! SQL Server – Backing up a database Sat, 27 Feb 2021 If you are a pro at SQL server I am sure you already know how to backup a database, but for someone who is new to it, things can be …
I received this question from someone visiting the blog, and realized that rather than just replying to them, it might be good to put the options out there for everyone to see. Hello, I came across your website and it seems that you are an SQL expert, I’m just getting started. I was wondering can you please give some guidance on …