Author: George Stedman

1. What is the SA account in SQL Server? The SA (System Administrator) account is the default administrative account in SQL Server, granting unrestricted access to the entire SQL Server instance. It has full permissions to perform any action on the server, making it the most powerful account. 2. Why is using the SA account a security risk? Using the SA account is a significant security risk because it is a well-known target for attackers. If an attacker gains access …

FAQ: Why You Shouldn’t Use the System Admin Account SA on Microsoft SQL Server Read more »

What is Remote Query Timeout? For the pupose of this article we will abbreviate Remote Query Timeout as RQT. RQT is a setting in SQL Server that specifies the maximum amount of time a remote query can run before timing out. It is defined in seconds and helps ensure that long-running queries don’t hold up resources indefinitely. Why is Remote Query Timeout important? This setting is crucial for maintaining performance and resource allocation in SQL Server. By limiting the duration …

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Why is low disk space a concern for SQL Server? Low disk space can cause several issues in SQL Server, including: What immediate steps can I take to free up disk space? How can I prevent low disk space issues in the future? What tools can help monitor and manage disk space? Stedman Solutions offers the Database Health Monitor, a comprehensive tool for monitoring SQL Server performance, including disk space usage. Learn more at DatabaseHealth.com. How can Stedman Solutions help …

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What are Database Snapshots? A Database Snapshot is a read-only, static view of a SQL Server database (the source database) at a particular point in time. It allows you to quickly create a version of your database that you can refer back to, ensuring that you have a consistent state of your data for reporting, auditing, or recovery purposes. Key Characteristics of Database Snapshots: How Database Snapshots Work: When a database snapshot is created, SQL Server starts by allocating a …

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User-defined assemblies (UDAs) in SQL Server provide a powerful way to extend the capabilities of your database. However, they also introduce potential issues and security risks that must be carefully managed. This help page aims to elucidate why UDAs can cause problems and pose security risks. What are User-Defined Assemblies? User-defined assemblies are custom code written in .NET languages like C# or VB.NET, which are then compiled into assemblies and loaded into SQL Server. These assemblies can perform tasks that …

Understanding the Risks of User-Defined Assemblies in SQL Server Read more »

UPDLOCK Hint in SQL Queries: Reasons to Avoid and Best Practices The UPDLOCK hint in SQL Server is used to indicate that the lock obtained on the selected rows is to be held until the end of the transaction. This lock ensures that no other transaction can obtain an exclusive lock on the rows while the transaction is in progress. Essentially, it upgrades a shared lock to an update lock, which is a precursor to an exclusive lock. Why UPDLOCK …

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