Year: 2025

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Understanding SQL Server CPU Utilization with Database Health Monitor Monitoring your SQL Server’s CPU usage is a critical aspect of maintaining a well-performing and reliable database environment. One common challenge for database administrators (DBAs) is pinpointing times of peak CPU activity and identifying the workloads contributing to high usage. This is where Database Health Monitor, a free tool from Stedman Solutions, comes to the rescue with features like the CPU by Hour report. What is the CPU by Hour Report? …

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Here is a short video with an overview of SchemaDrift and how to get started comparing SQL Server Databases. The latest update of Database Health Monitor includes SchemaDrift for comparing databases. Steve Stedman here to talk about SchemaDrift and how we can use SchemaDrift to go and compare database schemas and find differences in your database. SchemaDrift is a program created by Stedman Solutions. This is something we’ve had internally in beta for a couple of years, and we’ve been …

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SQL Server errors 823, 824, and 825 are critical indicators that your system is having trouble accessing data in your database files. These errors often point to underlying issues with disk I/O, hardware, or storage subsystems, and can range from transient problems to signs of serious corruption. Understanding these errors, their causes, and how to address them is crucial for maintaining a stable and reliable SQL Server environment. SQL Server Error 823: The Operating System Returned an I/O Error Error …

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Index maintenance is an essential part of SQL Server performance tuning, but it needs to be performed carefully to avoid negative impacts on your production environment. Rebuilding or reorganizing indexes during the day, when your database is under heavy usage, can lead to serious issues, including degraded performance, contention, and even application timeouts. Let’s dive into the reasons why this task is best scheduled during maintenance windows or low-usage periods. 1. Performance Impact on Query Execution Rebuilding or reorganizing indexes …

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Ensuring Data Security with Stedman Solutions SQL Server Managed Services: Solid Backups and Restores In today’s data-driven world, the integrity and availability of data are paramount. For businesses relying on SQL Server for their critical data storage and management, ensuring solid backups and reliable restores is not just an option, it’s a necessity. This is where Stedman Solutions’ SQL Server Managed Services shine, offering comprehensive coverage to protect your data with robust backup and restore strategies. The Pillars of Data …

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The Power of Proactive Monitoring in a World of Constant Change As the world continually evolves, the need for robust and proactive solutions in the realm of IT managed services becomes ever more critical. In an environment where a single change can have cascading effects, businesses cannot afford to be reactive. This is where Stedman Solutions steps in with its cutting-edge managed services offering, featuring the daily checkup monitor – a tool designed to catch changes as they occur, ensuring …

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In the world of database management, maintaining optimal performance is an ongoing challenge. One crucial aspect that often gets overlooked is the management of indexes. While indexes can significantly enhance query performance, having too many of them can lead to issues when it comes to inserts, updates, and deletes. In this blog post, we’ll explore the delicate balance of index management and discuss strategies to identify and remove unnecessary indexes without compromising system stability. The Dilemma of Too Many Indexes …

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Managing a SQL Server environment extends beyond routine maintenance. It demands a proactive strategy for optimal performance and reliability. A pivotal element of this approach is the thorough SQL Server Health Assessment, focusing on monitoring and alerts for specific errors and severity levels. Understanding the Need for Alerts Alerts for severity levels 19 to 25 and errors 823, 824, and 825 are crucial in your SQL Server Health Assessment. These represent serious system issues. Severity levels 19 to 25 indicate …

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Understanding the GFS BACKUP Schedule and How It Can Work with SQL Server When managing SQL Server databases, having a robust backup strategy is crucial. While SQL Server offers built-in tools for backups, leveraging a Grandfather-Father-Son (GFS) backup schedule can significantly enhance your backup strategy by providing a layered approach to data retention and recovery. In this blog post, we’ll explore how the GFS backup schedule works, why it’s an excellent fit for SQL Server environments, and how you can …

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The PRINT_ROLLBACK_PROGRESS Wait Type in SQL Server Need help with this wait type or others, Stedman Solutions can help. Find out how with a free no risk 30 minute consultation with Steve Stedman. The SQL Server PRINT_ROLLBACK_PROGRESS wait type is an indicator that a thread is waiting for a rollback operation to complete. Rollbacks occur when a transaction is terminated prematurely, either due to an explicit cancellation by the user, a timeout, or an error that prevents the transaction from …

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