Author: Steve Stedman

Index fragmentation is one of those performance issues that tends to creep in quietly. You may not notice it right away, but over time it can lead to slower queries, increased I/O, and overall degradation in performance. If your system feels like it is gradually slowing down without an obvious cause, fragmentation may be a part of the story. What is Index Fragmentation? At a high level, index fragmentation refers to how out of order the pages of an index …

Understanding Index Fragmentation in SQL Server (and How to Fix It) Read more →

Celebrating World Backup Day with Stedman’s SQL School: Unlock the Secrets of Efficient Backup and Recovery As we mark World Backup Day on March 31st, it’s a timely reminder of the critical importance of data backups in our increasingly digital world. In the realm of database management, particularly with SQL Server, the significance of having a reliable backup and recovery strategy cannot be overstated. Data is the lifeline of any organization, and the ability to recover it swiftly and accurately …

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You usually don’t notice a slow query right away. What you do notice is everything else starting to lag. Dashboards take longer to load, jobs start overlapping, and suddenly users are asking what changed. Long running queries are often at the center of that. The good news is they’re not hard to track down when you have the right visibility. In this post, we’ll walk through how to quickly spot them, understand their impact, and decide what to do next …

Finding Long Running Queries in SQL Server Read more →

Embrace Efficiency and Growth: The Integrated Power of Managed Services In today’s fast-evolving business landscape, organizations are constantly seeking ways to optimize their operations, scale efficiently, and ensure the robust management of their critical IT infrastructure. Stedman Solutions offers a suite of Managed Services designed to address these core needs, emphasizing the essential role of expert database administration in achieving business excellence. This consolidated blog post integrates insights from various discussions, outlining how Stedman Solutions empowers businesses through its comprehensive …

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In the ever-evolving landscape of database technologies, the battle between SQL and NoSQL continues to spark intense discussions among developers and businesses alike. While NoSQL databases have gained traction for their flexibility and scalability in handling unstructured data, SQL remains a cornerstone for many critical applications. Its enduring relevance stems from a robust foundation that prioritizes structure, reliability, and precision, making it a preferred choice in numerous scenarios. As someone who has navigated the intricacies of database management for years, …

SQL Still Shines: Advantages of SQL Over NoSQL Read more →

Are you looking to elevate your SQL Server expertise without breaking the bank? Our free weekly newsletter is your gateway to mastering SQL Server management with cutting-edge insights and practical advice. Designed for database administrators, developers, and IT professionals, this resource is tailored to help you stay ahead in a fast-evolving field. Each week, the SQL Server Newsletter delivers a wealth of knowledge straight to your inbox, from performance tuning tricks to security best practices. We distill complex concepts into …

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Finding Peace of Mind with SQL Server Managed Services As the owner or manager of a business that relies on SQL Server for critical data management and operations, the thought of your SQL Server encountering issues during the off-hours can be a significant source of stress. The fear of waking up to a server crash, data loss, or performance issues is enough to keep anyone up at night, questioning if their SQL Servers are properly taken care of. This concern …

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Monitoring long-running queries is an essential part of database performance monitoring, as it can help identify queries that are causing performance issues and take corrective action to optimize them. Database Health Monitor for SQL Server provides insights into long-running queries, enabling you to identify performance bottlenecks and optimize query execution. Blocking Query Monitor: Identifying Performance Bottlenecks in Real-Time One of the primary ways Database Health Monitor tracks long-running queries is through its Blocking Query Monitor. When a query is blocked …

Troubleshooting Slow SQL Server Queries Read more →