Author: Steve Stedman

In the realm of SQL Server Optimization optimization, small tweaks can yield substantial results, especially when dealing with high-traffic components like TempDB. One such tweak involves the use of Trace Flag 1118, a powerful yet often underutilized tool that can significantly reduce contention and enhance TempDB efficiency. If your SQL Server environment struggles with TempDB bottlenecks, understanding this trace flag could be a game-changer. TempDB is a critical system database in SQL Server, heavily utilized for temporary objects, sorting operations, …

SQL Server Trace Flag 1118: Boost TempDB Performance & Reduce Contention Read more »

You run a query against a table. The column is indexed. The statistics are fresh. And yet the query does a full scan, takes ten times longer than it should, and you have no idea why. The code looks correct. The data looks correct. Nothing looks wrong. The culprit is a single mismatched data type, and SQL Server fixed it for you without saying a word. What is an implicit conversion? Every comparison SQL Server makes requires both sides to …

SQL Code Smells: Implicit Conversions Read more »

When TempDB Grows “Up and to the Right”: How RCSI and Open Transactions Quietly Break SQL Server One of the most dangerous SQL Server problems is the one you don’t notice until the disk is full and production is down. TempDB is especially good at failing this way—quietly growing in the background until it suddenly becomes everyone’s problem. Recently, we were reviewing the TempDB Allocation History Report, and it perfectly illustrated an issue we’re seeing more often as READ COMMITTED …

When TempDB Grows “Up and to the Right”: How RCSI and Open Transactions Quietly Break SQL Server Read more »

Stop Guessing When SQL Agent Jobs Run: Visualizing Job History with Sortable Timeline Charts This blog post idea centers on a problem every SQL Server DBA has faced at some point: trying to understand when SQL Agent jobs actually run and how often they fire. It often starts with a simple question such as what runs at three in the morning, whether jobs are overlapping, or why performance slows during certain windows. The frustration quickly sets in when the only …

Stop Guessing When SQL Agent Jobs Run: Visualizing Job History with Sortable Timeline Charts Read more »

Proactively Manage SQL Server Disk Space with the New Disk Space Forecast Report in Database Health Monitor As SQL Server DBAs, one of the most stressful surprises is a sudden “out of disk space” error, especially in production environments where backups, logs, and data growth can quickly fill drives. That’s why the Disk Space Forecast Report in Database Health Monitor is such a valuable tool for staying ahead of storage issues. Recently on the Stedman SQL Server Podcast, Mitchell Glasscock, …

Proactively Manage SQL Server Disk Space with the New Disk Space Forecast Report in Database Health Monitor Read more »

Welcome to April at Stedman Solutions, LLC! This month, we’re excited to announce that April is JOINS month, where all our promotions and activities will revolve around the fundamental concept of JOINs in SQL Server. Whether you’re a seasoned SQL professional or just starting out on your database journey, this is the perfect time to dive deeper into the power and versatility of JOINs. From eye-catching JOIN posters to cozy JOIN socks, and from comprehensive JOIN classes to much more, …

Join Types Shirt Read more »

Starting out as a SQL Server DBA can feel overwhelming. There are hundreds of dynamic management views, dozens of performance counters, and no clear starting point when something goes wrong. You know the issues are there, but figuring out where to look and what matters most is often the hardest part. The challenge is not effort. Most junior DBAs are willing to dig in and learn. The real challenge is visibility. Without the right perspective, it is easy to miss …

How Database Health Monitor Helps Junior DBAs Find Problems Faster Read more »

Welcome to April at Stedman Solutions, LLC! This month, we’re excited to announce that April is JOINS month, where all our promotions and activities will revolve around the fundamental concept of JOINs in SQL Server. Whether you’re a seasoned SQL professional or just starting out on your database journey, this is the perfect time to dive deeper into the power and versatility of JOINs. From eye-catching JOIN posters to cozy JOIN socks, and from comprehensive JOIN classes to much more, …

Join Types Shower Curtain Read more »

How to Monitor SQL Server Health: Best Practices and Tools Ensuring the health of your SQL Server is a cornerstone of maintaining robust database performance and preventing costly disruptions. Without proper monitoring, minor issues can escalate into major problems, such as performance bottlenecks or data loss, that impact your business operations. In this post, we’ll explore the best practices and essential tools to help you keep your SQL Server running smoothly and efficiently. The importance of proactive monitoring cannot be …

SQL Server Health Monitoring: Best Practices and Essential Tools Read more »