Author: Steve Stedman

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Understanding SQL Server Full Join vs. Cross Join: What’s the Difference? When working with SQL Server, understanding the different types of joins is crucial for building effective and efficient queries. Two commonly misunderstood joins are the Full Join and the Cross Join. Let’s break down what each join does, when to use it, and how they compare. Full Join: Including All Data from Both Tables The Full Join (or Full Outer Join) is used when you need to retrieve all …

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Database Engine Tuning Advisor (DTA) in SQL Server: Understanding its Use and Risks The Database Engine Tuning Advisor (DTA) in SQL Server is a built-in tool designed to help identify potential performance improvements. It analyzes your database workload and provides recommendations like adding indexes, partitioning tables, and optimizing statistics. While it can be valuable for tuning your SQL Server environment, it also poses a significant risk of over-indexing, which can hurt performance if not managed properly. In this post, we’ll …

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Boost SQL Server Priority is dangerous and should not be used. Understanding the “Boost SQL Server Priority” Option in SQL Server Microsoft strongly advises against enabling this setting in production environments. When it comes to SQL Server Performance tuning, there are numerous settings and options to explore. One option that often sparks debate among DBAs is the “Boost SQL Priority” setting. While it sounds promising—after all, who wouldn’t want to “boost” SQL Server’s Performance?—the reality is more complex. In this …

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How to Choose a SQL Server Performance Tuning Consultant If your SQL Server is experiencing slowdowns or sluggish performance, it may be time to bring in a SQL Server Performance Tuning consultant. The right consultant can make a significant difference in getting your SQL Server back to peak performance. But with so many options available, how do you select the best one? In this blog post, we’ll cover the key criteria for selecting a SQL Server tuning expert and how …

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The Risks of Patching vs. Not Patching SQL Server: Why It Matters and How Stedman Solutions Can Help Patching SQL Server can feel like a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s essential to maintain a secure, high-performing environment. On the other, there’s the fear that patching might introduce unforeseen issues, potentially causing downtime or breaking applications. So, what’s the right approach? In this post, we’ll explore the risks of both patching and not patching, and how partnering with a professional …

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How to Monitor Monitoring queries in SQL Server is essential for maintaining optimal performance. When long running queries are not monitored and optimized, they can slow down the entire server, increase resource usage, and create bottlenecks that impact overall database efficiency. In this post, we’ll explore how to monitor SQL Server queries using the powerful features of Database Health Monitor, including the Long Running Query Report, Blocking Queries Report, and Historic Waits. Why Monitoring Long Running Queries Matters These queries …

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10 Essential SQL Server Metrics to Monitor for Optimal Performance When it comes to managing SQL Server Performance, there are many metrics that need to be monitored continuously to ensure smooth operations. Ignoring these critical metrics can lead to slow response times, bottlenecks, or even system outages. In this blog post, we’ll highlight the top 10 performance metrics you should track, and how Database Health Monitor can make this process easier. Top 10 SQL Server Performance Metrics Wait Statistics What: …

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Download “The Real Cost of SQL Server Management” White Paper Discover the real costs of SQL Server management by downloading our detailed white paper, “The Real Cost of SQL Server Management: In-House Team vs. Stedman Solutions.” This comprehensive guide delves into the financial, operational, and strategic implications of maintaining an in-house SQL Server team compared to outsourcing your database management to experienced specialists like Stedman Solutions. Building and maintaining a reliable in-house SQL Server team is more complex than it …

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SQL Server Deprecated Features Over 25 Years Microsoft SQL Server has seen numerous features marked as deprecated over the past 25 years. Deprecated features are still functional but are planned for removal in future releases. Here’s a summary of major deprecated features across different versions: SQL Server 2000 (8.0) to SQL Server 2005 (9.0) SQL Server 2008 (10.0) and 2008 R2 (10.5) SQL Server 2012 (11.0) SQL Server 2014 (12.0) SQL Server 2016 (13.0) SQL Server 2017 (14.0) SQL Server …

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Why Stedman Solutions Should Be Your SQL Server Consultant If you’re looking for a reliable SQL Server consultant to enhance your database environment’s performance, stability, and security, look no further than Stedman Solutions. Here’s why you should consider us: 1. True SQL Server Specialists Stedman Solutions is dedicated exclusively to SQL Server. Unlike general IT consultants, we focus 100% on SQL Server, enabling us to offer in-depth expertise across all areas, including Performance Tuning, Disaster Recovery, and high availability. Our …

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