Month: July 2026

Shrinking a database can seem like a helpful way to save space and resources, particularly if a database has grown substantially over time. However, SQL Server’s default maintenance plans that include database shrinking can lead to several performance issues. Here’s why: Fragmentation: When a database is shrunk, the data pages are reorganized to create a contiguous block of free space at the end of the data file, which can cause severe fragmentation. This fragmentation can significantly degrade the performance of …

Database Health Quickscan – Default maintenance plans to shrink database – Ouch Read more »

July is Database Health Monitor Month! July has arrived, and it’s time to turn our attention to the heartbeat of our digital world – our databases! As the founder of Database Health and Stedman Solutions, I’m thrilled to proclaim this month as Database Health Monitor Month! This is our annual chance to celebrate the unsung heroes safeguarding our precious data and to explore the intricate web of data structures and relationships within our systems. Let’s take a closer look at …

What Is Database Health Monitor? Read more »

Welcome to July – a month that signifies a shift in focus to the unseen heroes of our digital infrastructure – our databases. As the founder of Database Health and Stedman Solutions, it is with great pleasure that I announce this month as Database Health Monitor Month! This annual event allows us to appreciate our precious data, explore the intricacies of our systems, and focus on enhancing the health of our databases. This July, let’s not merely keep our databases …

Celebrating Database Health Monitor Month Read more »

Managing SQL Server transaction log files often presents unexpected hurdles for database teams when deciding how and when to shrink SQL Server log files, especially when rapid growth threatens available disk space. These files play a vital role in recording every change to the database, yet their expansion can quickly outpace initial expectations if underlying activity or configuration issues go unaddressed. Many administrators reach for the shrink command as an immediate remedy, but doing so without understanding the full context …

How and When to Shrink SQL Server Log Files: Best Practices Read more »