Blog Posts

Understanding CXPACKET, CXCONSUMER, CXSYNC_CONSUMER, and CXSYNC_PORT in SQL Server When analyzing SQL Server Performance, you may encounter wait types like CXPACKET, CXCONSUMER, CXSYNC_CONSUMER, and CXSYNC_PORT. These wait types are related to parallelism in SQL Server. Understanding their role and how they interact is critical for optimizing performance. What Are These Wait Types? 1. CXPACKET The CXPACKET wait type traditionally indicated waits related to parallel query execution. Specifically, it showed the time a worker thread waited during …

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MSSQL Monitoring Tools: Keeping Your SQL Server Running Smoothly Monitoring your Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL) environment is essential to ensure optimal performance, stability, and reliability. MSSQL monitoring tools provide the insights and alerts necessary to detect potential issues, optimize queries, and maintain database health. With the growing complexity of SQL Server environments, having the right tools and services to monitor your systems is more critical than ever. At Stedman Solutions, we specialize in providing MSSQL monitoring …

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For many SQL Server administrators and developers, DBCC SHOWCONTIG was once a go-to tool for diagnosing index and table fragmentation. However, Microsoft announced its deprecation over a decade ago, signaling its eventual removal in a future version of SQL Server. While it remains functional in older versions, relying on it in newer systems is no longer recommended. What is DBCC SHOWCONTIG? DBCC SHOWCONTIG is a Database Console Command (DBCC) in SQL Server designed to analyze the …

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Hello, I am Steve Stedman, a SQL Server expert, and I want to introduce you to my product, the Database Health Monitor for SQL Server. As a database administrator, I know how important it is to keep your database environment running smoothly. The Database Health Monitor is a powerful tool that provides real-time monitoring and alerting to help you maintain your SQL Server databases’ health. Database Health Monitor for SQL Server The Database Health Monitor, offers …

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SQL Performance Tuning Are you ready to supercharge your SQL Server’s Performance? If so, you’re in luck! We’re thrilled to announce an exclusive limited-time offer on our comprehensive SQL Server Performance Tuning course, designed to equip database professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to optimize SQL Server Performance effectively. 11% OFF – Enroll Now at 11% off With Coupon Code PERF11 Enroll Now Why Performance Tuning Matters In today’s data-driven world, performance tuning isn’t just …

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Exploring the VLF Report in Database Health Monitor Virtual Log Files (VLFs) are an essential but often overlooked component of SQL Server transaction logs. Poorly managed VLFs can lead to performance bottlenecks, slow recovery times, and even blocking issues. Thankfully, the VLF Report in Database Health Monitor provides a detailed view of the Virtual Log Files inside your transaction logs, helping you take control of your database’s performance. Let’s dive into how the VLF Report works, …

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Understanding Serializable SQL: Benefits and Challenges Having Performance Issues – Stedman Solutions can help. When working with SQL Server, one critical aspect of database transactions is their isolation level. The isolation level determines how transactions interact with each other, balancing data consistency and performance. Among these levels, Serializable SQL offers the highest level of isolation, ensuring complete consistency but at a cost. This article explores what Serializable SQL entails, why it is important, and how it …

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Common Symptoms of Corruption in a SQL Server Database Database corruption in SQL Server is one of the scariest issues a database administrator (DBA) can face. The good news? SQL Server provides several clues when corruption occurs, allowing proactive administrators to detect and address it before it causes significant harm. In this blog post, I’ll cover the most common symptoms of SQL Server database corruption and share some tips on how to address them. What Is …

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Why Database Health Monitor is the Optimal SQL Monitoring Solution When managing SQL Server environments, ensuring performance and stability is essential. An effective SQL monitoring solution is not just about identifying problems but also about providing actionable insights. Database Health Monitor excels in this area, combining an intuitive interface with powerful features designed for both database administrators and developers. Whether you’re troubleshooting slow queries, monitoring disk space usage, or identifying bottlenecks, Database Health Monitor has the …

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Securing SQL Server: Best Practices for a Safe and Reliable Database SQL Server security is a critical aspect of database management. With the increasing prevalence of cyber threats, it’s essential to ensure your SQL Server is secure from unauthorized access, data breaches, and Corruption. In this blog post, we’ll cover key best practices for safeguarding your SQL Server environment. 1. Keep SQL Server Updated Regularly applying patches and updates is your first line of defense. Microsoft …

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SQL Server Performance Analysis: A Path to Optimized Databases Maintaining optimal performance in a SQL Server environment is critical for Business Continuity and efficiency. Poorly tuned databases can lead to slow queries, frustrated users, and potential downtime. That’s where a comprehensive SQL Server performance analysis comes in. At Stedman Solutions, we specialize in helping organizations uncover and resolve performance issues in their SQL Server environments. This post explains what a SQL Server Performance analysis entails and …

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How to Fix CPU Waits: SOS_SCHEDULER_YIELD in SQL Server When SQL Server Performance issues arise, one of the most challenging problems to diagnose and resolve is high CPU usage. Among the various wait types that indicate CPU bottlenecks, SOS_SCHEDULER_YIELD is one of the most common. This post will explore how SQL Server schedules CPU, what the SOS_SCHEDULER_YIELD wait type signifies, and practical steps to address this issue. Understanding SQL Server’s CPU Scheduling SQL Server uses a …

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How Stedman Solutions Provides Premier SQL Server Consulting Services. At Stedman Solutions, we pride ourselves on being experts in SQL Server Consulting, helping businesses unlock the full potential of their database environments. With over three decades of experience in SQL Server, Our Team offers tailored solutions for performance, scalability, and security. We understand that each client’s needs are unique, and our SQL Server consulting services are designed to provide targeted strategies for optimal database management. Comprehensive …

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Understanding and Resolving SQL Server Collation Conflicts Collation conflicts in SQL Server can be one of the more frustrating errors to encounter, especially if you’re not familiar with how SQL Server handles string data. If you’ve run into the error message: Cannot resolve the collation conflict between [collation1] and [collation2] in the equal to operation. You’re likely dealing with mismatched collation settings between database objects. This blog post will break down what this error means, why …

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Best Practices for Shrinking SQL Server Files Shrinking files in SQL Server is a task that should be approached with caution. While it may seem like a quick fix to reclaim disk space, shrinking can introduce fragmentation and negatively impact performance if not handled properly. Here’s a simple guide to the best practices for shrinking SQL Server files and when it’s appropriate to do so. 1. Avoid Frequent Shrinking Shrinking is not a maintenance task you …

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If you find your self asking what a VLF in SQL Server is, then this is the article for you. In SQL Server, a Virtual Log File (VLF) is a smaller segment within the transaction log file that allows SQL Server to manage its log space more efficiently. Understanding VLFs and their impact on database performance is essential for database administrators, as an excessive number of VLFs can lead to degraded performance during database recovery, backups, …

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Why My SQL Server Is Slow If you’re wondering, “Why my SQL Server is slow?”, you’re not alone. SQL Server performance issues can disrupt critical business operations, delay projects, and frustrate users. A slow SQL Server often points to underlying issues that can be diagnosed and resolved with the right approach. In this blog post, we’ll dive into common reasons why your SQL Server is slow, provide an in-depth look at each cause, and share practical …

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Query to Check Compatibility Level in SQL Server Upgrading SQL Server to a newer version, such as SQL Server 2019 or 2022, requires verifying and updating the compatibility levels of your databases. Compatibility levels control database behaviors and enable certain SQL Server features, making them a crucial part of your upgrade process. In this guide, we’ll explore how to check compatibility levels, update them, and automate the process for multiple databases. We’ll also cover the compatibility …

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If you’ve ever encountered the “SQL Server Recovering” message for a database, you may have wondered what it means and whether it signals a problem. This message is part of SQL Server’s built-in safety mechanisms to ensure data integrity. While it’s not always a cause for alarm, understanding why it happens and how to handle it can save you significant time and effort. In this blog, we’ll delve into what “SQL Server Recovering” means, why it …

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Understanding and Resolving SQL Server Error 18456: Login Failed for User SQL Server Error 18456 is a common login error that can cause headaches for database administrators and developers alike. The error message typically appears as: “Login failed for user ‘<user_name>’. Reason: <reason>. Error: 18456.” This error occurs when a user attempts to connect to SQL Server and the authentication process fails. In this post, we’ll explore the common causes of this error, how to troubleshoot …

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How and When to Shrink SQL Server Log Files: Best Practices Explained Managing SQL Server log files is a common challenge for database administrators and developers. While shrinking transaction log files might seem like a quick fix for reclaiming disk space, there are key factors to consider before hitting that shrink button. What’s Covered in This Article: The Purpose of SQL Server Log Files Transaction log files are essential for maintaining data integrity and supporting recovery …

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Celebrate Small Business Saturday with 50% Off Our SQL Server Replication Course! Small Business Saturday is here, and to celebrate, we’re offering 50% off our SQL Server Replication course—but only for one day! Whether you’re managing databases in a small business or a larger enterprise, SQL Server replication is a crucial skill that can help ensure data availability, improve performance, and enhance disaster recovery. What Is SQL Server Replication? SQL Server Replication is a powerful method …

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= 2 THEN a.used_pages ELSE 0 END) * 8 AS IndexSpaceKBFROM sys.tables tINNER JOIN sys.partitions p ON t.object_id = p.object_idINNER JOIN sys.allocation_units a ON p.partition_id = a.container_idGROUP BY t.nameORDER BY TotalSpaceKB DESC; What the Query Does This query calculates: TotalSpaceKB: The total space allocated for each table, including data, indexes, and unused space. UsedSpaceKB: The space actively used by data and indexes. UnusedSpaceKB: The difference between the allocated space and the used space, representing room for …

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The Importance of a SQL Server Performance Assessment by Stedman Solutions Maintaining your SQL Server’s performance is essential in today’s fast-paced, data-driven world. At Stedman Solutions, we understand how critical your SQL Server is to your business’s success. That’s why we offer comprehensive performance assessments tailored to your environment. It all begins with a free 30-minute consultation to explore how we can address your unique SQL Server challenges and goals. Keeping Your SQL Server in Prime …

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Understanding SQL Server Trace Flag 1118: Enhancing TempDB Performance When it comes to SQL Server Performance tuning, understanding and using trace flags can provide significant benefits. One particularly valuable trace flag is 1118, which can address contention issues in the TempDB database and improve performance in environments with heavy TempDB usage. Let’s dive into what Trace Flag 1118 does, when to use it, and how it can make a difference. What Does Trace Flag 1118 Do? …

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SQL Server Data Aggregation: Unlocking the Power of Your Data When working with SQL Server, effective aggregation is a cornerstone of building meaningful reports, summaries, and insights. Whether you’re calculating totals, averages, or breaking down complex datasets into digestible pieces, understanding SQL Server’s aggregation tools is critical. In this blog post, we’ll explore the basics of SQL Server data aggregation and how it can streamline your data analysis processes. What Is Data Aggregation? Data aggregation involves …

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Understanding Instant File Initialization in Microsoft SQL Server When managing SQL Server, Performance Tuning often requires attention to how SQL Server handles storage and file operations. One feature that can significantly improve the speed of certain operations is Instant File Initialization (IFI). This blog post will explain what IFI is, how it works, its benefits, and considerations for enabling it in your SQL Server environment. What is Instant File Initialization? Instant File Initialization (IFI) is a …

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What Does “Parallel Redo is Started for Database” Mean? If you’ve come across the phrase “parallel redo is started for database” in your SQL Server error logs or monitoring tools, you might wonder what it signifies. This phrase is tied to SQL Server’s advanced recovery process and is an important indicator of how modern SQL Server versions handle transaction log recovery in high-performance environments. This blog post dives deep into what this message means, when it …

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Understanding sys.dm_os_schedulers in SQL Server One of the most critical aspects of SQL Server Performance tuning is understanding how resources, especially CPU cores, are used. The sys.dm_os_schedulers dynamic management view (DMV) provides insights into SQL Server’s schedulers, which represent logical CPUs, and how they manage tasks. This post explores the details of sys.dm_os_schedulers, what it reveals about SQL Server’s internal scheduling processes, and how you can use it to troubleshoot performance bottlenecks. What is sys.dm_os_schedulers? SQL …

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Understanding MAXDOP SQL Server Settings: What They Are and How They Work In SQL Server, optimizing query performance often requires fine-tuning the MAXDOP (Maximum Degree of Parallelism) setting. If you’ve come across discussions about max degree of parallelism in SQL Server, you might wonder what it is, how it works, and why it matters. This blog post explains the essentials of MAXDOP, how it impacts query execution, and the best practices for configuring it in your …

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Understanding the SOS_SCHEDULER_YIELD Wait Type in SQL Server The SOS_SCHEDULER_YIELD wait type is one of the most commonly encountered waits in SQL Server. It indicates that a task is voluntarily yielding its CPU time to allow other tasks to execute. While it’s normal to see some SOS_SCHEDULER_YIELD waits, excessive occurrences can signal a performance bottleneck. In this post, we’ll explore what this wait type means, when it’s problematic, how to diagnose it, and steps you can …

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SQL Health Check Report: How Stedman Solutions Can Help Optimize Your SQL Server Environment A well-maintained SQL Server environment is critical for business operations, but without regular monitoring, issues like slow queries, blocked processes, and inefficient configurations can creep in. At Stedman Solutions, we offer a comprehensive SQL health check report—also known as our Health Assessment or Performance Assessment—to identify problems, optimize performance, and provide actionable recommendations to keep your databases running smoothly. In this blog …

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How to Run DBCC CHECKDB – a beginners guide Ensuring the integrity of your SQL Server databases is essential to maintaining a healthy and reliable system. One of the most powerful tools for this purpose is DBCC CHECKDB. In this blog post, we’ll explain how to run DBCC CHECKDB, why it’s critical, and best practices for using it. What Is DBCC CHECKDB? DBCC CHECKDB is a Database Console Command that validates the structural and logical integrity …

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Understanding SQL Server Cost Threshold for Parallelism When tuning SQL Server for performance, one important configuration setting is the Cost Threshold for Parallelism. This setting directly affects when SQL Server decides to execute a query in parallel, potentially speeding up large operations or, if misconfigured, overloading system resources. In this post, we’ll explore what the Cost Threshold for Parallelism is, how it works, and best practices for configuring it in your SQL Server environment. What is …

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What is involved with a SQL Server Performance Assessment from Stedman Solutions A SQL Server Performance Assessment from Stedman Solutions is designed to uncover and resolve issues slowing down your SQL Server. Our in-depth analysis identifies performance bottlenecks and provides actionable recommendations to enhance the speed, stability, and scalability of your databases. Key Components of a SQL Server Performance Assessment Benefits of a Stedman Solutions SQL Server Performance Assessment Ready to Get Started? At Stedman Solutions, …

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Exploring Episode 6 of the Stedman SQL Server Podcast: New Features in Database Health Monitor In Episode 6 of the Stedman SQL Server Podcast, we look at the latest updates to Database Health Monitor (DBHM), a free tool designed to give SQL Server users clear insights into performance, reliability, and potential issues. We cover several new features and bug fixes in this episode that enhance DBHM’s functionality, provide better diagnostics, and add even more monitoring power …

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Understanding SQL Server Isolation Levels: Choosing the Right One for Your Needs SQL Server isolation levels are a crucial part of managing database transactions. They control how transactions interact with each other, particularly regarding locking behavior, data visibility, and concurrency. By adjusting the isolation level, you can fine-tune the balance between data consistency and performance to match your specific application needs. Let’s explore each isolation level in SQL Server, how they impact your transactions, and best-use …

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CrystalDiskMark: How It Helps Assess SQL Server Performance When managing a SQL Server environment, one key factor that often gets overlooked is disk performance. SQL Server relies heavily on the speed and throughput of the storage subsystem for database operations, making it critical to understand and measure disk performance regularly. This is where CrystalDiskMark can be a game-changer. What is CrystalDiskMark? CrystalDiskMark is a popular, free, and easy-to-use benchmarking tool that measures the performance of your …

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