SQL Server Index Primer
Indexes 101: What, Why, and When? “What Is an Index?” I get this question a lot, especially from developers and sysadmins who’ve been handed a SQL Server and told,...
2025-05-12 (first published: 2025-04-23)
252 reads
Kevin3NF
- Interests: Cycling, family, sci-fi, DBA stuff
Your SQL Server Is Whispering…Are You Listening?
Early Warnings of a Meltdown (and How to Catch Them) Most SQL Server crashes don’t come out of nowhere. They leave breadcrumbs – red flags that something’s not right....
2025-05-07
85 reads
SQL Server Budgets: How to Justify Cost to Management
Ever tried to request SQL Server funding from the CFO? Your systems, your data, your customer experience – they all rely on that “invisible” database engine humming along behind...
2025-05-01
42 reads
SQL Server Wait Stats
Everything in SQL Server is waiting for something…this is by design. And most people never think about it… Until your application is waiting to complete its request, sell the...
2025-04-30 (first published: 2025-04-16)
378 reads
The Cost of Not Having a DBA
Does skipping a DBA save money? Wait until your system grinds to a halt, your backups fail, or your cloud bill skyrockets. The “DBA? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’...
2025-04-14 (first published: 2025-04-02)
586 reads
Why Your SQL Server Backups Aren’t Enough
SQL Server backups are database insurance – you don’t really appreciate them until disaster strikes. But here’s the kicker: having backups doesn’t mean your data is safe. If you’re...
2025-04-09
136 reads
SQL Server Source Control on a $0 Budget
The Source Control Dilemma Every DBA has been there. Trying to keep track of database schema changes while developers have their fancy Git repositories and version control workflows. Meanwhile,...
2025-03-27
122 reads
SQL Server Performance – What IT Leaders Need to Know
IT leaders have a lot on their plates! Budgets, staffing, security, uptime, and keeping everything running smoothly. When SQL Server performance becomes an issue, a common reaction is often...
2025-03-26 (first published: 2025-03-13)
6,941 reads
Mistakes IT Shops Without a DBA Make
We get it. There’s no budget for a DBA on staff, or even a contract support firm like Dallas DBAs. You are not alone! There are thousands of firms...
2025-03-19 (first published: 2025-03-07)
602 reads
Our SQL Server is Slow! What Do I Do First?
Don’t Panic! It’s a vague but common complaint, frequently with no additional details. Before blindly restarting SQL Server, let’s walk through quick checks that don’t require deep DBA skills....
2025-03-19
244 reads
Blogs
SQL Saturday Boston Slides and Code
By Steve Jones
Thanks to everyone who attended my sessions today at SQL Saturday Boston 2025. I’ve...
Scaling SQL Server 2025 Vector Search with Load-Balanced Ollama Embeddings
SQL Server 2025 introduces native support for vector data types and external AI models....
Advice I Like: Fear and Imagination
By Steve Jones
Fear is fueled by a lack of imagination. The antidote to fear is not...
Forums
how to use a variable in a CASE statement?
hi everyone I am getting an error when I add a variable to a...
How to Use SQL Server Features to Cut Web App Latency in Half
Comments posted to this topic are about the item How to Use SQL Server...
Choosing an AI in Sept 2025
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Choosing an AI in Sept...
Question of the Day
The New SQL Server 2025 Data type
In SQL Server 2025, there is a new data type designed to support similarity search and machine learning applications for AI applications. What is this new data type?
See possible answers