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.
Database Health Monitor
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… Read More »What a 515-Bug-Fix Release Says About the SQL Server Estate You Cannot See
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… Read More »What Changed in the Query Plan Before It Got Slower
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.
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… Read More »Is This Index Still Used? Read the Trend, Not the Total
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… Read More »Your SQL Server Maintenance Window Is a Guess. Measure It
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.
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.