SQL Server Blog Posts from Stedman Solutions
SQL Server Blog Posts
Welcome to the hub for all things SQL Server! Here, you’ll find the latest blog posts covering tips, tricks, and insights into SQL Server management, performance tuning, query optimization, and much more. Whether you’re a seasoned database administrator or just starting your journey with SQL Server, our blog is packed with valuable content to help you tackle real-world challenges and improve your skills.
At Stedman Solutions, we’re passionate about SQL Server and dedicated to sharing knowledge gained from over three decades of experience. Our blog posts cover a range of topics, including resolving database corruption, enhancing query performance, understanding T-SQL techniques, and leveraging tools like Database Health Monitor. Each article is written with a practical focus, offering solutions and advice you can apply directly to your SQL Server environment.
Take a moment to explore the latest posts below. Whether you’re here to solve a specific problem, learn about a new feature, or stay updated on best practices, you’re in the right place. If you find a topic that resonates with your current challenges, be sure to dive in—and feel free to contact us if you need personalized assistance or want to learn more about our SQL Server services.
Latest SQL Server Blog Posts
- TSQL Output Clause Course
The output clause is one of the wow factor query items, where when people see you use it the just go WOW, I did not know you could do that. I can remember working with a client and showing that to them and getting that same reaction of WOW. Have you seen our SQL short… Read More »TSQL Output Clause Course - SQL Server Connections by Database: Who Owns the Count?
When the instance connection total jumps, SQL Server connections by database shows which application is holding them. Here is how to read the split. - The SQL Login Nobody Remembers: Finding Accounts With the Password Policy Turned OffVendor installers leave behind SQL logins with CHECK_POLICY off, which means no complexity, no expiry and no lockout. Here is why they survive every review, what they cost, and how to fix them without breaking the application.
- Master Database Size: Read This Row Before the Megabytes
Is your master database size normal? Read the object count first, then the used and free split in each file, and only then the file size itself. - SQL Join Types Poster
Learn more about the Join Types poster. Compatible with SQL Server (TSQL) and MySQL. Check out the poster, it is a versatile, print-on-demand resource which you can customize according to your preference of size. This tool has been tailored to serve as a useful reference for both SQL Server developers and database administrators, simplifying the… Read More »SQL Join Types Poster - Availability Group Lag: What a Failover Would Cost You
Green in the dashboard does not mean safe to fail over. See how availability group lag turns into data loss and redo time, and where to measure each. - Empower Your Projects with our Skilled DBAs and Programmers: A Comprehensive Solution
With a technical team of 5 people with well over 100 years of combined experience we are available to help with your next project. Our team of highly experienced Database Administrators (DBAs) and programmers is uniquely qualified to support and elevate your projects. They bring an array of expertise to the table, each with their… Read More »Empower Your Projects with our Skilled DBAs and Programmers: A Comprehensive Solution - SQL Code Smells: Unindexed Range Predicates
When a query filters a large table on a range, like a date window, and no index supports that range, SQL Server scans the table. Put that scan inside a subquery that gets joined to other inputs, and a query that should take seconds can run for hours. In a recent case, one covering index… Read More »SQL Code Smells: Unindexed Range Predicates - SSRS Shared Dataset Report: What to Read First
Open an SSRS shared dataset report and the biggest number is the wrong place to look. Here is the order that finds broken reports and dead datasets. - Unlock the Full Potential of Your SQL Server with Stedman Solutions Managed Services
Unlock the Full Potential of Your SQL Server with Stedman Solutions’ Managed Services In today’s fast-paced world, your SQL Server database is more crucial than ever. It’s the powerhouse behind your most critical operations. That’s where Stedman Solutions, LLC, steps in. We offer flexible, fully managed services tailored to the unique demands of your SQL… Read More »Unlock the Full Potential of Your SQL Server with Stedman Solutions Managed Services - SQL Server Memory Usage: Where Did All the RAM Go?
Task Manager says SQL Server ate all the RAM. Here is how to read SQL Server memory usage as three nested layers and find the pressure that actually hurts. - SQL Server Query Slow When Busy? Find Out Which Kind
Is a SQL Server query slow when busy because of its plan or because of its neighbors? Compare quiet and busy Query Store intervals to find out in minutes. - Database Health Monitor Version 4 Instance Reports Stedman SQL Podcast Sn 3 Ep 17
Database Health Monitor Version 4 Instance Reports Stedman SQL Podcast Sn 3 Ep 17 In Season 3, Episode 17 of the Stedman SQL Server Podcast, Steve Stedman and George Stedman explore the powerful Instance Reports in Database Health Monitor Version 4, demonstrating how SQL Server DBAs and IT professionals can quickly identify performance bottlenecks, troubleshoot… Read More »Database Health Monitor Version 4 Instance Reports Stedman SQL Podcast Sn 3 Ep 17 - Deadlock Heat Map: Find the Hour Your Deadlocks Hit
A deadlock heat map shows which hour and day your SQL Server deadlocks cluster, so you can find the colliding job instead of guessing from one graph. - Query Store Stopped Collecting? How to Tell Fast
Query Store stopped collecting, and nothing told you. Here is how to prove whether the history behind your tuning reports is really there, and fix it. - SQL Server Backup Status: Beyond the Last Backup Date
SQL Server backup status is more than a last backup date. See how exposure, log chains and the restore sequence show what you would really lose. - Query Store Plan Instability: Why It Was Fast Yesterday
Query Store plan instability hides behind plans that cost the same. Here is how to measure how long a plan lasts and which queries keep flipping. - Which Hour of the Day Is Slower Than It Used to Be?
Which hour of the day is slower than it used to be? Sort Query Store history by hour and read each hour’s level and slope to find out. - SQL Server Overview: The DMVs Behind Every Number
A SQL Server overview is built from DMVs that reset, accumulate and exclude things. Here is what each number counts, and what it quietly leaves out. - Top 10 Techniques to Turbocharge Your SQL Server Performance
For the month of October you will receive a free year of our SQL Server Daily Monitoring with the purchase of a SQL Server Assessment. Top 10 Techniques to Turbocharge Your SQL Server Performance Understanding how to optimize your SQL Server performance is crucial for ensuring your applications and data-driven processes run smoothly. In this… Read More »Top 10 Techniques to Turbocharge Your SQL Server Performance - Three Quiet Failures Your Monitoring Probably Misses: Service Broker, Unprotected Columns and Analysis ServicesSome of the most costly SQL Server failures raise no error at all. Here are three of them, and how Database Health Monitor 4.1626 now finds each one.
- SQL Server Deadlock History: Find What Collides
A deadlock count tells you there is a problem. SQL Server deadlock history grouped by object and statement pair tells you what to change. Here is how to read it. - Daily Monitoring Product
A great way to keep tabs on the overall health of your SQL Server. Pricing: $129.99 per month per SQL Server instance when paid month to month. Payment on a recurring payment by credit card plan required. We provide monitoring tools that alert us when there is an issue so that we can recommend fixes… Read More »Daily Monitoring Product - SQL Server Triggers: What Fires When Your Table Is Written
A write that is slow, deadlocks, or corrupts rows may be hitting SQL Server triggers nobody remembers. Here is how to see what fires, and what to fix first. - Optimizing Efficiency and Security: The Power of an SQL Server Health Assessment
In today’s fast-paced technology landscape, businesses depend on efficient and secure data management to stay competitive. An SQL Server health assessment plays a crucial role in ensuring that your systems are running optimally, safeguarded from vulnerabilities, and prepared for future growth. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the importance of performing an SQL Server… Read More »Optimizing Efficiency and Security: The Power of an SQL Server Health Assessment - Full year of Daily SQL Monitoring FREE with purchase
October Special at Stedman Solutions: Receive a Year of Free SQL Server Monitoring! For a limited time this October, Stedman Solutions is excited to announce an unbeatable offer. When you purchase a SQL Server Assessment, we’ll provide a full year of our renowned SQL Server Daily Monitoring service at no additional cost. We can help!https://stedman.us/performance… Read More »Full year of Daily SQL Monitoring FREE with purchase - Reading the SQL Server Error Log Before It Reads You
The SQL Server error log holds the evidence for your last outage. Here is how to read archives, group the noise, and spot 825 and 18456 fast. - Common Reasons you may need to restore from backups
Our Backup and Restore Course is designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of SQL Server backup strategies, restoration processes, and best practices. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced DBA, this course covers everything from simple database backups to advanced techniques like transaction log backups, point-in-time recovery, and disaster recovery planning. Learn how to… Read More »Common Reasons you may need to restore from backups - The Questions Your SQL Server Estate Could Not Answer Until Now: Cost, Licensing, Sensitive Data and Risk
Cost per database, unused Enterprise features, where personal data lives, whether servers can be consolidated, and what is about to run out. Database Health Monitor 4.1625 turns those days of manual digging into a report. - Datacenter failure, can you get your backups?
Our Backup and Restore Course is designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of SQL Server backup strategies, restoration processes, and best practices. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced DBA, this course covers everything from simple database backups to advanced techniques like transaction log backups, point-in-time recovery, and disaster recovery planning. Learn how to… Read More »Datacenter failure, can you get your backups? - Why SQL Server CPU Pressure Isn’t What Task Manager Shows
Task Manager’s CPU percentage hides real CPU pressure. Learn which SQL Server counter shows it and what a healthy loaded server actually looks like. - What’s Really Driving Your ReportServer Database Size
ReportServer database size rarely grows from report definitions. See which tables, in the catalog and its temp database, actually reserve the space. - Are you ready to restore those backups?
In our data-driven world, having a reliable backup for your SQL Server data is just half the battle; knowing how to effectively recover that data is equally vital. Stedman’s SQL Server Backup and Recovery Course is designed to equip you with not just the skills to back up your data, but more importantly, to recover… Read More »Are you ready to restore those backups? - The SQL Server Residual Predicate Hiding in Your Plan
A SQL Server residual predicate lets an index seek report success while it reads and discards most of the rows it touched. Here’s how to find it. - What Is in Master, and What a Rebuild Would Lose
What is in master often surprises the team that has to rebuild it: credentials, triggers, and startup procedures nobody documented. - Azure SQL Health Monitor Stedman SQL Podcast Sn 3 Ep 15
Azure SQL Health Monitor Stedman SQL Podcast Sn 3 Ep 15 Join Steve Stedman and Mitchell Glasscock for Season 3, Episode 16 of the Stedman SQL Podcast as they introduce Azure SQL Health Monitor, a powerful new addition to Database Health Monitor Version 4. Discover how to identify Azure SQL performance bottlenecks, diagnose CPU and… Read More »Azure SQL Health Monitor Stedman SQL Podcast Sn 3 Ep 15 - What a 515-Bug-Fix Release Says About the SQL Server Estate You Cannot See
Database Health Monitor 4.1540 adds 63 reports, 25 features and 515 bug fixes. Here is what that release actually means for a consulting practice or an in-house team responsible for more SQL Server instances than they can watch by hand. - What Changed in the Query Plan Before It Got Slower
See what changed in the query plan the moment SQL Server switches to a new one, lane by lane, before you force the old plan back. - Who Gets SQL Server Email? Nobody Can Tell You
Who gets SQL Server email? Operators are only part of the answer. Learn how to find every address, the leavers and the dead mailboxes. - Ransomware attack and your backup and recovery plan
Recovering from a ransomware attack is a critical aspect of backup and recovery for SQL Server. Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts files and demands payment in exchange for the decryption key. Ransomware attacks can cause significant damage to your organization’s data, and recovering from these attacks can be challenging. To recover… Read More »Ransomware attack and your backup and recovery plan - Is This Index Still Used? Read the Trend, Not the Total
Is this index still used? A lifetime read count cannot say. Here is how a per-index trend line catches an index that went silent weeks ago. - Backup and Restore Course Overview
Our Backup and Restore Course is designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of SQL Server backup strategies, restoration processes, and best practices. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced DBA, this course covers everything from simple database backups to advanced techniques like transaction log backups, point-in-time recovery, and disaster recovery planning. Learn how to… Read More »Backup and Restore Course Overview - Your SQL Server Maintenance Window Is a Guess. Measure It
Most SQL Server maintenance window schedules are typed in once and never checked. Here is how to measure the quiet hours instead of guessing at them. - Why Your SQL Server Backups Are More Crucial Than You Think: Lessons from the Frontlines
Hello everyone, today, I want to talk about something near and dear to my heart: SQL Server backups. Trust me when I say that having a reliable backup is the guardian angel you never knew you needed until disaster strikes. Here’s why. The Reality of Emergency SQL Server Responses At Stedman Solutions, a portion of… Read More »Why Your SQL Server Backups Are More Crucial Than You Think: Lessons from the Frontlines - Why Is One Execution Plan Slower Than Another?
Why is one execution plan slower than another for the same SQL Server query? See which Query Store measures explain the gap, not just duration. - How to Find Offline Database Files in SQL Server
See offline database files, growth settings, and volumes for every database on an instance, even ones that are offline, restoring, or suspect. - Recovering from a ransomware attackRecovering from a ransomware attack is a crucial aspect of backup and recovery for SQL Server, and it deserves a closer look. Ransomware attacks have become increasingly common and are a growing concern for many organizations. These attacks can cause significant damage to data, result in system downtime, and even disrupt business operations. Preventing ramsomware… Read More »Recovering from a ransomware attack
- Recovering from accidental data deletes
Our Backup and Restore Course is designed to give you a comprehensive understanding of SQL Server backup strategies, restoration processes, and best practices. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced DBA, this course covers everything from simple database backups to advanced techniques like transaction log backups, point-in-time recovery, and disaster recovery planning. Learn how to… Read More »Recovering from accidental data deletes - A Password Protected SSIS Package Can Stall a Migration
A password protected SSIS package can stall a migration for days. Here is how to find every one hiding inside msdb first. - Why Your Management Data Warehouse Stopped Updating
A management data warehouse can stop updating while its Agent jobs still show green. Here’s where SQL Server keeps the real failure text. - What a SQL Server Index Health Score Really Tells You
SQL Server index health is more than a fragmentation percentage: one score with its reasons, backed by ten indexing reports rolled into cards. - SQL Server Index Fragmentation: Stop Chasing the Percent
SQL Server index fragmentation percentage can be misleading. Here is the number that actually predicts what a rebuild will buy you, and where to find it. - SQL Server LOB Columns in Indexes Are Costing You Disk
SQL Server LOB columns in indexes duplicate data on disk. Here’s how to find every one, measure the cost, and know which are safe to remove. - Database Health Monitor V4 Stedman SQL Podcast Sn 3 Ep 14Stedman SQL Podcast Sn 3 Ep 14 Database Health Monitor Version 4 Database Health Monitor Version 4 is here, and it’s one of the biggest updates we’ve ever made! In Season 3, Episode 14 of the Stedman SQL Podcast, Steve Stedman, George Stedman, and Mitchell Glasscock take a tour through what’s new in Database Health… Read More »Database Health Monitor V4 Stedman SQL Podcast Sn 3 Ep 14
- Backup and recovery for SQL Server
As a database professional, you know how critical it is to have a solid backup and recovery plan in place for your SQL Server environment. Whether you’re dealing with accidental data deletes, ransomware attacks, disk failures, or complete datacenter outages, having a well-planned backup and recovery strategy is essential to ensure that your organization can… Read More »Backup and recovery for SQL Server - Database Health Monitor Version 4 Has Been ReleasedWe’re excited to announce that Database Health Monitor Version 4 is now available! Version 4 represents one of the biggest updates to Database Health Monitor since its original release. While the most obvious change is the completely redesigned interface, this release goes far beyond a visual refresh. We’ve rebuilt and improved nearly every part of… Read More »Database Health Monitor Version 4 Has Been Released
- What SQL Server Suspect Pages Are Trying to Tell You
SQL Server suspect pages sit quietly in msdb until a disk finally fails. Learn what each event means and how to tell damage from a fix. - SQL Server Scalar UDF Inlining: Free Speed You’re Missing
SQL Server scalar UDF inlining can erase a function’s cost entirely, or it can silently never fire. Here is how to see which is true for yours. - Happy Labor Day
In observance of the US federal holiday Labor Day, Stedman Solutions, LLC will be closed for the first Monday in September. As the founder of Stedman Solutions, LLC, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Team members for everything they do every day. If you need emergency help during this… Read More »Happy Labor Day - How to Find Local SQL Server Instances Without Guessing
See how Database Health Monitor can find local SQL Server instances automatically, so you are not guessing a name during an incident. - Why Your SQL Server Alert History Is Full of Noise
Hundreds of alert emails don’t mean hundreds of problems. Learn to read SQL Server alert history before you touch a single threshold. - Reserved Versus Used Space: What Your Tables Hide
See reserved versus used space for every table in your database, and find exactly which one is wasting space you could reclaim today. - Backup and recovery relating to disk failure
Recovering from disk failure is a critical aspect of backup and recovery for SQL Server. A disk failure can occur due to a variety of reasons such as hardware failure, power outages, or natural disasters. When a disk failure occurs, it can result in data loss, system downtime, and even business disruption. To mitigate the… Read More »Backup and recovery relating to disk failure - How to Track SQL Server Table Size Before It Surprises You
See SQL Server table size ranked across every table, spot which ones dominate the database, and know before a restore or migration bites. - Find Patterns in Your SQL Server Blocking History
See your SQL Server blocking history as an hour-by-day heat map, so a recurring problem shows up as a pattern instead of a guess. - The Importance of SQL Server Backup and Recovery: Learn from Experts
In the wise words of Benjamin Franklin, “If You Fail to Plan, You Are Planning to Fail.” This timeless adage holds particular relevance when it comes to safeguarding your SQL Server databases. A failure to adequately prepare for data loss scenarios—be it due to hardware malfunctions, data corruption, or increasingly prevalent ransomware attacks—can have devastating… Read More »The Importance of SQL Server Backup and Recovery: Learn from Experts
Additional Thoughts
Thank you for exploring our SQL Server blog! We’re committed to providing fresh, relevant, and actionable content to help you navigate the complexities of SQL Server. From troubleshooting performance issues to mastering advanced features, our articles are designed to empower you with the knowledge you need to succeed. Whether you’re solving a specific problem or expanding your expertise, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
SQL Server is constantly evolving, and so are the challenges and opportunities that come with managing it. That’s why we frequently update our blog with new posts, insights, and tutorials. By staying engaged with our latest articles, you’ll gain an edge in understanding new features, identifying best practices, and applying innovative solutions in your SQL Server environment. We aim to keep you informed and ahead of the curve.
If you’ve found value in the content here, be sure to bookmark this page and check back regularly. With each new post, we strive to address the topics that matter most to SQL Server professionals, based on the real-world scenarios we encounter every day. Our goal is to create a resource you can rely on for timely, trustworthy, and practical SQL Server advice.
Don’t miss out on future updates! Whether it’s an in-depth guide, a quick tip, or a thought-provoking perspective, there’s always something new to discover. And if you have specific topics you’d like us to cover, we’d love to hear from you. Keep checking back, and let us help you make the most of your SQL Server journey.