Insights
Practical SQL Server articles
What we see most often when SQL Server misbehaves – slow performance, growing transaction logs, untested backups, blocking and deadlocks – and how to investigate it properly.
How often should SQL Server backups be tested?
A backup that has never been restored is an assumption. What a real SQL Server restore test involves, what it tends to uncover and how often to run one.
SQL Server blocking and deadlocks explained
Locks are normal, blocking is a queue and a deadlock is a cycle SQL Server breaks for you. How to tell them apart, find the cause and fix it properly.
Why SQL Server transaction logs keep growing
A growing transaction log is a symptom, not the problem. How to find what SQL Server is waiting for, fix the cause and free space without breaking your backup chain.
Why is SQL Server suddenly slow?
When a database that was fine yesterday is slow today, the first half hour matters. This is the order we check things in, and the common fixes that destroy the evidence.
Next step
Dealing with something similar?
Describe what SQL Server is doing and we’ll tell you how we’d approach it.