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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 frequently releases updates to …

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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 cooperative scheduling mechanism called …

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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 occurs, and how it …

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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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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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Overview SQL Server keeps a running count of every deprecated feature something asks it for. Almost nobody looks at it, and it is the cheapest upgrade risk assessment available: the features on this page are the ones Microsoft has said out loud will stop working, and this instance is still using them. The Deprecated Features report reads those counters, drops the ones sitting at zero, and shows what is left sized by how often it happened. The point of the …

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How to Monitor SQL Server Health: Best Practices and Tools Monitoring SQL Server health is essential for ensuring database performance, identifying potential issues early, and maintaining overall system stability. Neglecting this vital task can lead to system slowdowns, hidden Corruption, or even full-blown server crashes. In this blog post, I’ll guide you through the best practices and tools for monitoring SQL Server health effectively. Why SQL Server Monitoring Is Critical SQL Server monitoring isn’t just about checking a few metrics …

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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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