Database Health Monitor

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.

See offline database files, growth settings, and volumes for every database on an instance, even ones that are offline, restoring, or suspect.

A password protected SSIS package can stall a migration for days. Here is how to find every one hiding inside msdb first.

A management data warehouse can stop updating while its Agent jobs still show green. Here’s where SQL Server keeps the real failure text.

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 percentage can be misleading. Here is the number that actually predicts what a rebuild will buy you, and where to find… Read More »SQL Server Index Fragmentation: Stop Chasing the Percent

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… Read More »SQL Server LOB Columns in Indexes Are Costing You Disk

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… Read More »What SQL Server Suspect Pages Are Trying to Tell You

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… Read More »SQL Server Scalar UDF Inlining: Free Speed You’re Missing

See how Database Health Monitor can find local SQL Server instances automatically, so you are not guessing a name during an incident.