Hello everyone, today, I’m excited to share with you a feature of the Database Health Monitor software that I’ve developed: The Blocking Query Monitor. Watch this video by Steve Stedman to find out more. Understanding and addressing performance bottlenecks in SQL Server is not always an easy task, and one of the biggest contributors to these bottlenecks is often blocking queries. That’s why I’ve built the Blocking Query Monitor. The Blocking Query Monitor is a powerful tool specifically designed to …

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What Are SQL Agent Jobs? If you’ve been managing a SQL Server environment for any amount of time, chances are you’ve come across SQL Server Agent Jobs. But what exactly are they, and why are they so critical to efficient database management? In this blog post, I’ll break down what SQL Agent Jobs are, how they work, and why they’re a key tool in any DBA’s toolkit. Understanding SQL Server Agent Jobs At its core, an SQL Agent Job is …

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In the world of database management, maintaining optimal performance is an ongoing challenge. One crucial aspect that often gets overlooked is the management of indexes. While indexes can significantly enhance query performance, having too many of them can lead to issues when it comes to inserts, updates, and deletes. In this blog post, we’ll explore the delicate balance of index management and discuss strategies to identify and remove unnecessary indexes without compromising system stability. The Dilemma of Too Many Indexes …

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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 …

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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 …

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Hello everyone, I’m Steve Stedman, and today, I’m excited to share with you a feature of the Database Health Monitor software that I’ve developed: The Blocking Query Monitor. Understanding and addressing performance bottlenecks in SQL Server is not always an easy task, and one of the biggest contributors to these bottlenecks is often blocking queries. That’s why I’ve built the Blocking Query Monitor. The Blocking Query Monitor is a powerful tool specifically designed to monitor, report, and help resolve blocking …

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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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